One Hundred Days
by Lyxie
Summary: Sir Link is the king's favorite knight. Princess Zelda is sick of suitors. What happens when Link overhears the princess striking a bargain with her father allotting her one hundred days to find a suitable husband? Why, get sucked straight into the mess!
1. Chapter 1

_**One Hundred Days**_

_A love story_

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_**A/N: **This story is dedicated to all you fabulous people who have been waiting so very patiently for another update. Thank you all so much for your unending support! It means so much! I hope you enjoy the story, and (disclaimer) I don't own any of the characters taken from the game. Esten and Damlea and everyone else is mine, though, but if you want to borrow them, feel free. Just link back to moi!

Anyway, on with the story!

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**Chapter One**

I blame the king entirely for The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me. I didn't know that that was what it would be at the time- I just thought we were going on another of his hunting retreats, standard procedure, you know: men's month out! Every once in a while, his highness would decide enough was enough at the palace and drag a century, otherwise known as a hundred of his favorite knights (myself included) out to a mansion of his located on the other side of the Southern Wood. We'd stay there for a month and be men to our hearts content- hunting, drinking, and womanizing were always the three activities that comprised our enjoyable breaks- and then we'd go back to the palace, refreshed, ready to delve once again in to the insanity of life there.

The aforementioned insanity that went on at the palace had been at a peak when the king called us on another hunting trip- the whole place was swarming with suitors, all of whom were begging for the Princess's hand in marriage. I myself thought it was rather amusing to see her royal highness juggling men- it seemed each time I saw her, she'd be with a different man. One day, the Prince Chagnry, the next, the Heir to Ikana, and then the day after that, even the Goron Prince Darnin. It seemed everybody was chasing madly after the poor Princess, bombarding the King with offer after offer after offer of marriage to her, and finally, both King and Princess had to escape the insanity. That's where I come in.

I'm Link, just another knight in the "shining seven hundred", the knights and leaders of the king's army, comprised of roughly three thousand or so. Making knighthood and the seven hundred was hard enough- I trained from childhood to be a soldier, and though I was proclaimed a genius of the sword, knighthood was incredibly difficult to obtain, especially for one of as low birth as mine. But the king was kind and knighted me, and I found myself one of the shining, and the protégé of the king. Protégé or not, however, one must pull a miraculous deed to find himself in the King's personal century, as I learned through his Lordship himself. My own ascent came up behind us all and shocked us- in a battle once against the Gerudo, the King nearly fell to the curved blades of the heathen women, and it was by pure luck alone that I saved him, my own adversary ducking out of the way of my blade and the woman behind her, the King's foe, taking the hit. It was pure accident and sheer luck, and this strange happenstance has earned me his highness' unconditional respect. Since my ascent, I've enjoyed myself immensely being spoiled rotten and being treated as the highest of the high in the country. I get a good seat at dinner each night, I get to go hunting frequently, I have nice clothes despite the lack of any title to speak of (save for my knighthood), and the king himself knows, acknowledges ,and even respects me- and more than that, he treats me as a friend and son instead of subordinate: I am the youngest knight in all of his century, and the same age as his daughter and sole heir, the princess. There have been times when he has asked me, friend to friend, for advice on his daughter, Zelda, and those are the times that I've done my very best not to let him down. My life for his in battle is one thing- my words for his daughter's happiness is something entirely different.

Despite the obvious factor of age, I still am uncertain why he asks _me_ of all people about Zelda. She and I grew up worlds apart, and despite my spoiling, are still worlds apart. My set of values and reasoning, my education, my future and fate are all far removed from the princess, and moreover, I've only spoken with her once. Nevertheless, the king seems to insist that I alone know what's best for a woman I've only spoken with once, who my only knowledge of comes from observation and from the king himself- maybe he chose me because I seem to notice things a lot of the other knights don't. Not that they're clueless, or dense, or even anything other than sharp. I just so happen to be slightly more perceptive because I people watch. And, on the orders of the King (and moreover, as requested by a friend) I have watched the princess Zelda. She is, however, one mind that it seems impossible for me to figure out, despite how much I knew about her already, courtesy of her father, who often speaks of her to me as a father would tell his often absent son about his daughter's escapades. Not that the Princess looks upon me as a brother, though- possibly a distant friend of her father's, but I digress.

I was surprised to find that Princess Zelda was coming on the hunting retreat with us- I wasn't aware she knew how to hunt, or cared for the sport, or anything. More astounding was that she was accompanied by only five of her ladies, and even then, only because that was what was proper, as I overheard her telling her father. I myself didn't know if she was only coming because it was an excuse to escape the palace, or because she actually wanted to go hunting. So on the ride to the mansion, I watched.

I'd always known the princess was sharp and perceptive- I watched her eyes trail the paths of two rabbits that I myself wouldn't have noticed, saw the way her lips quirked up at a cry of one of the king's hunting falcons- my own falcon was being brought along as well by entourage of five falconers who accompanied us every time on the hunt. She rode easy on her steed, a beautiful glossy black stallion called Hengest, who she affectionately called "Henny" or "Handsome" in turn. She chatted little, despite her maids' ceaseless gossiping banter. Several of my fellow knights looked rather put out about having women along on the trip, while others were practically squirming in their seats with eager anticipation of the ravishing that would ensue.

The mansion was far away from the castle and its reaches- it was two days' ride to the south, though it only took a day to reach the forest that it was located beyond. We camped that night just beyond the trees in Hyrule Field, pitching our tents and building campfires, eating the food we'd brought from the castle on logs, talking all the while.

I was sitting before my own particular campfire, enjoying my meal and the company of my trusty horse, Epona, all by myself. My good friend Esten had unfortunately stayed at the castle at the king's election for this hunt, not only to keep the peace as Esten was one of the highest ranking knights in all the country, but also as his wife was expected to give birth soon. On this particular trip, it seemed I would be alone- I didn't mind, however. Solitude brought no loneliness to me. This is why I was very surprised when I found myself joined by the princess herself.

I stopped mid-munch, raising my eyebrows at her as she sat down on the log next to me. She shot me a grin, pulling out a sandwich much like my own that she had obviously pilfered from the kitchen earlier that morning- just like me.

"They're all staring at me," she offered by way of explanation. "I don't think they like the idea of a woman sitting around the campfire with them. Or they're afraid my maids'll join me." The princess gave a laugh, and it was all I could do not to swallow my bite whole. Had she hit her head on a rock? Never in all my observation had I seen her behaving like this.

"Well don't look so surprised," she stated as I blinked cluelessly at her. "You were sitting all alone, and what sort of person would I be if I let you sit here all by yourself?"

I swallowed, managing to get my mouth to work again. "I don't mind being alone," I told her. "It's good time to think."

"I agree," the princess said, looking into the fire. For a moment, a brooding expression darkened her countenance as she studied the orange flames- then she smiled and it was gone. "I'm glad to be gone from the palace. I get no solitude there. There's always someone around- maids, suitors, escorts, suitors, my father, suitors… it's like privacy isn't allowed."

"None of us have any," I replied, biting off another hunk of my sandwich. Chew, swallow. Then: "I used to be stuck in a general barracks with all the other soldiers. It drove me insane. There was always someone around no matter what, or someone awake at three in the morning, or someone sick, or even worse, someone snoring in the bunk above you when you were trying to sleep the night before review. It was awful."

The princess made a little face and then laughed. "I can't imagine," she replied. "At least I can dismiss my maids at night and have some small amount of time to myself before I collapse from exhaustion. You're Sir Link, by the way, are you not?"

"Yes," I replied, again startled. "And feel free to call me simply Link. Honestly, I'm surprised you remembered my name at all."

"Bother," stated the princess, shaking her hair, which had been left down around her shoulders. "We've met before."

"Once," I replied with a little smirk. "At a ball. When you were running away from that fancy duke…whatshisface."

"Lord Ryder," laughed the princess. "I couldn't help it! He was truly irritating me. You weren't angry that I spilled punch all over your doublet, were you?"

I shrugged smiling. "No, highness. I never liked that doublet much anyway."

A frown creased her pretty features, and she looked into the fire as she took another bite from her sandwich. I bit my lip, worried. "Have I offended you?"

"Please call me Zelda as well," she said after a long moment. "I know that my father views you as a close and trustworthy friend, and speaks of you often and fondly. He considers you almost like a son, or a nephew." She shot me a brilliant smile, saying, "it's the least I can do to allow you to use my name. Besides, Link, I have the feeling that we'll be becoming good friends on this particular trip."

This was shocking. "But your ladies…"

"Are a bunch of worrying hags who are too afraid of you 'savages' to even come out from their tents," she blurted out, and then covered her mouth with laughter. "You mustn't repeat that I said that or Marianne will have my head!"

Her buoyancy was contagious. I smiled, laughing a little too, my tensions easing. Inside, though, my mind was whirling. This was nothing like the Princess Zelda that I'd observed before, this loose, bubbling, friendly girl so different from the reserved monarch that drifted powerfully through castle life. My only conclusion was a division between self and soul- a Princess and a Zelda, two totally different people.

This was confusing, but still, I smiled, and allowed myself to slip into easy conversation with the princess- no, with Zelda. And it looked as though she'd been right in her prediction that we would be becoming good friends as we related interests, upbringing, and who we disliked most at the palace. Somewhere within me, I hoped that this wouldn't be just a passing friendship, that even once she returned to the palace and resumed her regal composure, Zelda and I would still be friends.

But that would have been a lot to hope for, or so I thought.

&-

We arrived at the manor the next afternoon where a small army of servants who lived there greeted us. We all dispersed to our respective rooms- two knights to a room, and as Esten and I usually boarded together, I had a chamber all to myself. Thus, I didn't have to race someone to "claim the best bed", and so I found myself in the stables tacking down Epona- in the stall next to me, the princess was doing the same, humming lightly as she did so.

"You had that horse long?" I asked as I began to brush down Epona, despite the fact that I already knew the answer- I'd picked out the horse myself for the princess' birthday two years back, as requested by the king.

"He was a birthday gift year before last," the princess called back. "I've been out working with him whenever I could since then. I finally got him tame enough to ride near other horses. Even when he was a hellcat, I loved him and he loved me. Right Henny?"

Hengest gave a little whicker and stamped one of his hooves. The princess laughed lightly at him, and I looked over my shoulder to see her tousle his main and kiss his cheek before resuming her work. I smiled lightly to myself- she had so much spirit. It was astounding.

I finished tacking down Epona, slipped her an extra carrot, and stood waiting for the princess to finish tacking down Hengest. She was surprisingly deft in her work, finishing less than a minute after I did.

"Thank you for waiting for me." She tossed me a slightly frazzled smile that caused my heart to drop out. "It was very kind of you."

She was indisputably beautiful- her sleek sunshine hair was hanging down her back in a simple braid that ended just below her shoulder blades, from which a few wisps had escaped to frame her face. Her sparkling blue eyes were bright, cheeks rosy, lips full and red and smiling. And then I shook it off- she was also a princess.

"Just being a good person," I replied shakily, offering her my elbow. "Shall I escort you back up to the manor?"

"Why yes you shall!" She swept her travel skirts up with one hand and placed her elbow neatly in the crook of my arm with her other. "And if my ladies begin to ask about you, I'll tell them that you were so kind as to escort me out to the stables, as I am a weak female unable to do anything myself. That's what they like to hear- or something of that sort, anyway. You know, damsels in distress being rescued by knights who are all chivalry and honor…"

"Chivalry and honor," I said thoughtfully. "And knights. Why are those three things associated with one another so often?"

"Possibly because you knights are painted as heroes," the princess replied teasingly. "Picking up ladies' handkerchiefs, riding bravely into battle…"

"…rescuing small animals from trees," I added, chuckling at the memory of six knights attempting to get a small dog out of one tree in the market that had been causing one merchant particular trouble. Zelda giggled lightly, and I grinned.

"What I don't understand," the princess stated simply, her fingers drumming a little cadence on my arm that made my whole body tingle, "is why the damsels must always be in distress! I wish we women could be allowed to take care of ourselves." Zelda sighed, looking skywards. "What I wouldn't give to be a mistress of archery."

It could have been the elegant pout of her rosy lips or the fact that she somehow had ensnared me, body and soul, but I found the words bubbling out before I could stop them: "I could teach you the ways of the bow."

She clapped, delighted. "Oh, Link, would you really?" She beamed brilliantly at me, and then sobered, straightening herself. "Someone's coming," she shot to me out of the corner of her mouth, her carefree gait transforming into one of stately pride as she nodded to the doors of the manor, which were opening ahead of us. I caught on immediately, straightening up as well, and smiled dashingly down at the princess.

"As I was saying, Milady, the Lake is beautiful at this time of year. The waters are a remarkable shade of blue, and the many flowers surrounding it are in bloom."

"Why, Sir Link," Zelda stated charmingly, "it sounds truly lovely. Perhaps I can commission my father to take a short side trip there upon our return trip home? I am aware that it is a day out of our way, but it would be so wonderful to see such a beautiful sight."

"Of a certainty, Highness, it is lovely," I concurred, keeping my face carefully devoid of the laughter that was sure to erupt any moment, "but there are many lovelier things closer to home. Kakariko Village, I do believe, is said to be breathtaking this time of year, though I am afraid I can't attest to that, as I was stationed in Kakariko during the cold of winter."

Two older knights passed by us on the right as they trotted down the manor steps, bowing to Zelda and nodding to me. Zelda curtsied in return and I bowed as well, and then carefully guided the princess up the steps of the manor, holding a door open for her.

"Why thank you, Sir Link," she stated cordially, and stepped inside. I followed after, and the moment the doors were shut we burst into a fit of laughter.

"Were you really stationed at Kakariko during the winter?" She asked me, and I nodded, laughing.

"And it was miserable! The place is freezing in the winter- I'm surprised I escaped with all my fingers and toes."

This sent Zelda into another round of the giggles, and then she straightened up.

"Kindly, do escort me to my room. I'm afraid I haven't been here before…"

"This place isn't quite as confusing as the castle," I stated as I led her around a corner. "It is, after all, just a manor. Our rooms are in the west wing, and we dine in the main wing, in the great hall. Stables and the falconry is to the north- that's where we came in. To the west is mostly unused- meeting rooms, parlors, the like. Ah, you are actually hunting with us, correct?"

"I love to hunt, Sir Link," Zelda stated genially, resuming a stately walk. "I find the chase thrilling, though that is terribly unladylike of me. Despite my recent tribulations at court, I would not have come along on this trip if I had not intended to partake in the activities." Zelda looked a little sadder as she stated, "this also my be my last chance to engage in such before I am wed."

I nearly slipped. "What do you…" her eyes widened, as though to warn me of my incoming idiotic remark, and I quickly caught myself, "…prefer to hunt, higness? Which kind of game is your favorite?"

"I favor hunting for smaller creatures, such as rabbits, Sir Link. I must confess, I am not disposed towards hunting for venison, for no reason other than it saddens me to see such a majestic creature put to the shame of such a death."

It had been wise of Zelda to pick up our little ruse, as more and more we found ourselves in the company of the other knights. I trusted the king's century with my life, his life, and Zelda's life, but when it came to court, many of the knights were utter barbarians, or worse- they would tell the king of Zelda's informal behavior, and where the princess would be then, I didn't want to imagine. So we played our secret game until I had escorted Zelda to her rooms. She left me wish promises to come and find me at dinner that night, and entered her room, leaving me standing in the hallway. One of her maids began to squawk, and I smiled and turned away as I heard Zelda beginning to relate the story of my helping her tack down Henny, who was just too difficult for a woman as delicate as her to handle sometimes.

I walked to my room and entered, throwing down my saddle bag and flopping upon my bed, staring at the rafters above my head. Zelda's words of earlier rebounded within my head- "this may also be my last chance to engage in such before I am wed"… "last chance"… "before I am wed"… "wed"…

I awoke with a start and realized blearily that I might have missed dinner. I wondered that I'd fallen so suddenly asleep and, snorting and sniffing, pulled myself out of bed and meandered down to the great hall. It looked as though I was in luck- several other knights were just entering the hall for dinner. I sat down next to the end at one table, remembering Zelda's promise to come and meet me at dinner, and blankly stared ahead of me, only coming out of my slight trance when a buxom maid walked over with a platter of roast pheasant, setting it down smartly in front of me and snapping me out of my thoughtless inattention.

"Glad to see you knights are back," the maid said to me, waggling a finger. "The manor's dreadfully boring when it's just the servants. I don't suppose," she leaned closer, and my eyes were involuntarily drawn to her large bosom, "that I could endeavor you to a little fun tonight? You're the best looking of all the men here, I think."

"Not tonight," I said, forcing my eyes back up to her face and swallowing. "Perhaps tomorrow."

She pouted with her luscious lips even as she curtsied. "You can come find me if you change your mind." And then she was off.

"I can't help but ponder how long it'll take before that attitude possesses my maids and this entire building goes wild?"

"I'd say about a week, give or take. Good evening, milady." It was all I could do to restrain the red pinwheels of embarrassment in my cheeks. How humiliating that Zelda had walked in just as I was commissioned for a wild night of carnal pleasures.

"Swallow your shame, Sir Link," the princess said, taking a seat across from me. "I don't blame you for her behavior."

My embarrassment abated slightly. I smiled at her as I began to dig into my roast pheasant and asked genially, "how was your afternoon, highness?"

"Rather boring, I confess," Zelda replied, smirking a little. "My maids kept me locked in my chambers with nothing to do. They wanted to keep me up there and 'safe' for dinner, too, saying that they would ring up some servers to bring us our meals in my quarters, but I refused, and here I am."

A manservant carrying a steaming platter set it down before Zelda, then turned on heel and left.

"It's pleasing that you chose to venture into company tonight," I replied, carefully chewing a hunk of pheasant. "My closest friend, Esten, unfortunately had to remain at the palace for this particular trip, to oversee your suitors and to await the birth of his son. His wife is due this month, see. I have yet to develop a closer bond with many of the other knights in this century. They're all much older than I," I added. Zelda nodded, smiling, and swallowed her meat.

"It's nice that you and I are the same age. All my maids are at least five years older than I, and their company is tiring."

A maid came over then and dropped a curtsy, eyed me up curiously, and then said to Zelda, "beggin' your pardon, milady, but the King wishes you to join him at the high table for supper t'night."

"Ah, I should have surmised he would," Zelda replied with a little sigh, shaking her head. "Thank you."

Zelda stood and gave me a smile, and I stood as well. "It was a pleasure talking to you, as always, Sir Link. Perhaps tomorrow you will accompany me around on the hunt?"

"I would be delighted. Good evening, Highness."

"Good evening." Zelda dropped a curtsy and I bowed, and she was away, a maid following her and carrying her platter. I sighed and dropped back into my chair, suddenly lonely. For a while, I picked at my pheasant, and then on a whim, wrapped my meal up in a napkin and left the hall for the stables, where I ate with Epona.

That evening as I was walking back to my room, I heard Zelda's beautiful voice and stopped. She was in her father's chambers, and arguing with him by the sound of it.

"I don't want to marry any of them," I heard her exclaim vehemently. "They're all snotty, spoiled, stuck up, and after _your_ throne. I don't know a single one of them that would make half the king you would… Darunia's son is the only decent one of them all, but too soft-hearted to lead this kingdom, and the Hyrulians would hardly accept him as a leader."

"You have a soft spot for the Goron Pince?" the king asked, surprised, and I felt my heart drop out.

Her response was shrill. "As a friend, yes, father, I do. Darnin has been my steady friend from the cradle. I would see the world for him, and yet I could not be his wife, nor could he be my husband. Father," Zelda's tone took on a note of attempted patience, "I want the best for Hyrule, as well as for you and for myself. None of these men are what's best for the country, or for you, or me. They're all greedy and unjust, and I would be mistreated and miserable, which would in turn make Hyrule an utter mess. Listen," she tried again. "You loved mother, didn't you?"

The king's voice was sad. "With all my heart, I did."

"Your marriage was happy and prosperous and you led the country well then. The people of Hyrule saw the unity of the Royal Family, and in turn, united gladly under you. If I marry any of these men, it's going to be the opposite!" Zelda's voice escalated, and I heard her take a deep breath. "I know," she continued, "that I'm nearing womanhood, and I know that you are aging and need an heir. Here's my proposal." Zelda took several long deep breaths, and then there was silence. All my senses were at peak- from what was happening inside the room to the empty halls around me. If someone caught me eavesdropping like this….

"Give me one hundred days," Zelda suddenly stated. "A hundred days to find a man who would make a good king, or, if I can find none, a hundred days to find a man who I would be happy with as my escort. I intend to lead this country if no other is worthy, but it is imperative that I have a partner I can be happy with, no matter what." Zelda sighed, and I could practically hear her bowing her head. "Please, father. One hundred days is all I ask. On the Day of Din, you can proclaim to the whole kingdom that you have found a husband for the princess, and tell them his name. If I can find no one, you will choose the suitor that you think would make the best ruler, my happiness aside. Please, Father." Her voice was imploring, begging. "I only want what is best for Hyrule, and I think this is best. No matter what, in one hundred days you will have the future of Hyrule secured. A hundred days is all I ask."

The room was so quiet I was certain that they could hear my almost-inaudible breathing out in the hallway. I looked carefully around, and then glanced back at the door to the King's chambers. At long last came his quiet answer.

"You've been thinking on this for a long time, haven't you?"

"Yes, Father."

"Do you already have someone in mind?"

"I have several small ideas, but I doubt that they will amount to anything. Either way, we will see."

There was a pause, and then the king said slowly, "Zelda, I really do want you to be happy-"

"Then give me this chance," Zelda stated. "If I wind up in a marriage I didn't choose, at least I will know that I did all that was within my power, and that it is no fault of mine, and just the path that the Goddesses have chosen for me. I will be happy," Zelda added. "As long as I have my chance, even if I fail I will be happy because I will know that it is my destiny. Please, father. Please."

Another long pause. Finally, the king spoke two words. "Very well."

I turned and quietly made my way to my room, mind whirling. What was Zelda doing? Who did she have in mind? I scanned through people in my head that I'd seen with her, various princes and courtiers and dukes. None of them struck a bell, but I had quickly learned that the princess was incredibly perceptive and amazing at hiding her opinions and thoughts. But who did she have in mind? Who did she think would be a good leader? Who knew so much about the monarchy and the governing of the country that they could ascend to the throne or to her side with relatively few problems? One of her fathers advisors? They all seemed so old, too old for Zelda…

I stripped and got into bed, blew out my candle, and rolled around in my sheets, wondering.

Who would Zelda trust that much? Who had given infallible advice time after time? Who, who, who…

I slipped into uneasy repose, the same cadence echoing through my dreams all night long. Who, who, who…

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**Uploaded: Wednesday, November 2, 2005. 7:35 PM Central**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

We awoke before dawn the next morning and set out just as the sun began to rise. Many of the knights rode groggy upon the backs of their horses, myself included, though my reason for exhaustion was much different than theirs. My eyelids tried to close of their own free will- I kept them open as best I could. Curse restless night of uneasy dreaming! A shame, too, that I couldn't remember what I'd dreamt of. One person in the company, however, was all but tired…

"Late night?" Zelda asked with a smirk, her voice quiet as she spoke to me. Not that any of the others would have heard anyhow.

"Not really," I stated, yawning, deflecting her incoming insult about having a tryst the whole night. "I couldn't sleep."

"That's a shame," the princess stated, reigning in Hengest a little as he impatiently stamped and made for the distant front of the century- Zelda and I were riding in the back, for purposes of privacy more than anything else. "As you can see," she added with another of her adorable little smirks, "both my horse and I are ready to go for the day."

"As you can see," I countered, "the rest of us are not."

"That's irresponsible," Zelda sniffed. "If all of you knew there would be a hunt this morning, then why did nobody go to sleep?"

"Tradition," I replied with a large yawn. "Tradition dictated that everybody gets drunk the first night, and after that it is tradition to… have too much fun with the maids," (here, Zelda snickered) "and tradition says that everybody has to be miserably sore and hung over together the next morning. It's just not the same otherwise."

"And what part do you have in this tradition, Sir?"

"According to the tradition, Esten and I sit in our room playing cards and shaking our heads at the antics of the rest of the knights. Both of us dislike the feeling of being drunk, not to mention the idea of sharing women is less than appetizing."

"Sharing women, you say?" Zelda's eyebrows raised. "A sexist comment, but at the least you're more moral than many of the others I've met, I do believe."

I shrugged. "It was the most polite euphemism I could think of," I replied. "And blame Esten for my abstinence. He's been in love with his wife ever since he got his first hormone, and in his trueness to her, set a model that I aspired to follow." I stopped, cheeks red. "If you want to thank anybody for how I am, thank him."

"Why, I do believe I shall."

We lapsed into comfortable silence, happy to bring up the back of the Century, and as Zelda rode I took her in. She wore brown hunting leathers and a grass colored tunic much like my own. On her feet were worn leather boots, and on her hands and forearms, stiff gauntlets. A small dagger was strapped to her belt, as well as several small burlap satchels, filled with what I didn't know. Her glossy hair was again braided down her back, still wet at the ends from her morning bath. Dressed down as she was, though, there was no mistaking that she was a princess- soon to be queen. She rode with the easy air of someone who had spent many hours in the saddle, and yet carried herself like the royal she was. Her eyes darted around the woods, keeping her incredibly aware of her surroundings, and I shivered to myself. If I hadn't known that she was virtually untrained in weaponry, I would be frightened of her. There was no doubt in my mind that she would easily make a formidable opponent.

She looked over and smiled dazzlingly at me, breaking at once the warrior-huntress-queen aura, and then reigned in her horse as the band came to a halt. The king looked around at each of us and nodded, and then turned to one of his falconers and pointed at Zelda. It was understood that the need for silence now was key- it was time to kill. Zelda slipped on a falconer's glove and was given a calm looking hooded bird. It rustled a little as the falconer guided it to her hand, but Zelda stroked its feathers softly and the bird stilled. I was in awe. The King looked around once more, checking that we were all ready, and set off. The hooves of a hundred horses followed, accompanied by the pants of the hunting dogs and the occasional rustle of falcon's feathers.

The king made the first kill of the morning- two foxes. Zelda's kill of a rabbit was next- her falcon flew high, gave a great keen, and then dove at the rabbits, ending their lives instantly. After that, there was a slight period of inaction- and then we found the deer.

Zelda looked away as we spurred towards the great stag, horses and bows ready. I saw how she closed her eyes as her father ran his spear through the beast's heart, and the look of pain on her face as we congratulated the king on bringing down such an elegant beast.

"A twelve point stag!" proclaimed the king. Two of the huntsmen took it and lashed it to the cart that brought up the rear. As I slipped back next to Zelda, I shot her an inquisitive look- are you okay.

She nodded and smiled, though she was slightly pale.

Several more small kills followed that, and by the time that we decided to return to the manor it was getting on towards late afternoon. There was joking and merriment as we rode back, all need for caution abandoned. Zelda had given the falcon back to the falconers, and was riding alongside me in silence.

Fast as lighting, two of the hunting dogs began to bark at something, and a doe bolted through the woods just in front of Zelda and myself. Both our horses reared and whickered- I barely managed to keep Epona in controlled, but Hengest, who was still slightly wild, bolted.

"Zelda!" The king called as she fought to keep control of Hengest. Without a moment's thought I spurred Epona after her, struggling to catch up to the princess. I could see her fighting Hengest, doing her best to slow him down and bring him into control, but it seemed almost as if he was possessed. He ran straight towards the edge of a steep ravine and reared up, tossing Zelda off and then bolting away through the underbrush. I quickly dismounted and made my way to the edge of the ravine- Zelda was tumbling down, digging her heels into the wall and trying to find a handhold on a rock. No luck- a log sent her tumbling headfirst out of control. I saw her head contact hard with the ground, and her body flopped the rest of the way down.

"No!" A strangled cry issued forth from deep within my throat and I was down after her, running, keeping upright as best I could. I don't know how I managed to reach the bottom without falling- sheer luck, no doubt, and once I was there I bolted off to where Zelda lay, not fifteen feet away from me. Her limbs were splayed in every direction but her chest was rising and falling- good. She hadn't broken her neck. Careful not to disturb her body, I touched Zelda's mud bespattered cheek, cupping my hand around the side of her face and wiping away a bit of dirt with my thumb.

"Zelda? Zelda?" I asked, applying a feather light pressure to her cheek and shaking gently. "Zelda?"

"Mmm…" Her eyes fluttered slowly open, her brows furrowed. "Link?"

"Are you okay? What hurts?" I asked her, pulling my hand slowly away, my fingertips trailing along her jaw line, her pulse fluttering against my thumb.

"Just my head, Link… what happened?"

"Your horse startled at some deer and bolted. Hengest threw you and you rolled down a ravine," I offered by way of explanation. "And you did marvelously until a log got in your way."

"That silly horse," Zelda stated weakly, smiling. "He probably caught scent of the wolves chasing the deer."

"Wolves…?" I asked, suddenly confused. "Zelda, there weren't any wolves."

"Of course there were," she replied, slowly sitting up and testing her arms and fingers. "What else would have had the deer spooked so bad?" She made an expression of pain and held up her left hand- her pinky finger was turning purple.

"Broken," I declared unnecessarily. "Does anything else hurt?"

"Other than my head, nothing so far. Help me stand up…"

I carefully wrapped my arms around her and she braced my shoulders, cautiously putting weight on her feet. She drew in a sharp breath as her weight landed on her right foot, and nearly crumpled again. Gently, I helped her to sit down on a rock just a few feet away, and Zelda peeled off her boot. I looked to the top of the ravine- Epona was gone, and we could hear no sound of those looking for us.

"Sprained ankle and a broken pinky," Zelda muttered. "Well, I suppose it could be worse. I could be alone." I turned to see her rip the hem of her tunic, and begin to carefully bind her ankle.

"Here, let me," I said suddenly. "People will have a fit if we show up and you've ripped your own tunic to shreds for bandages and mine is fine."

"Of course," she stated, her voice still weak but slightly dreamy. "I should have remembered that."

"Zelda?" I took a look into her eyes- they were slightly glazed. She had a concussion. "Zelda, stick with me."

"I'm tired, Link. I want to go to sleep."

"You can, but just not yet. First we have to get your ankle bound and we have to get back up the ravine and to the manor. Keep your foot out. I'll bind it." I began to rip long forest green bandages from my hunting tunic and carefully wrapped her foot- not so tight as to cut off the circulation, but not so weak as to be useless.

"Thank you, Link," she said softly, turning her foot left and right. "It's quite pretty. I'm afraid it won't fit in my slippers, though, and it won't match any of my dresses…"

"That's not important. Your boot won't fit over that anyway, so I'll carry it. Here," I said, suddenly inspired. I removed my tunic and ripped the last of it into two fat sections and one long skinny section. I made a makeshift boot of the thick material, securing it around her ankle with the skinny strip. "That should keep your foot relatively well protected."

"You're so thoughtful." Zelda slowly stood and gingerly put weight on her ankle- she made a slight face but nodded. "It's bearable. I'm afraid I won't be able to dance, though. Oh, the poor suitors." She giggled and tried a little spin on her good foot. I lashed Zelda's unused boot to my belt and looked hopelessly up at the edge of the ravine- if both Zelda's feet were working, we could probably climb up the edge, but with her injured as she was that wasn't looking like much of a chance. We'd have to find another way up.

"Come on, we're walking." I looped an arm around Zelda's waist, getting as much weight off of her hurt foot as possible, and began to trek.

"It's a shame you have to save me," Zelda stated with a yawn. "I should be saving myself."

"Things could have easily been the other way around. Epona's just a bit less wild than your horse… with me, anyway. Stay awake," I reprimanded as her head sagged slightly.

"But I'm tired."

"It's not dark out yet, and you can't go to sleep until it's dark out and the moon is up and you're in your own bed."

"I don't understand why not." Another yawn. "I don't have any meetings to attend today, I don't think…"

"There's going to be a big dinner tonight and you have to stay up for it. It's a celebration."

"Celebration of what?" she asked, curious.

"Our return, for one, and also to celebrate the hunt. We're out in the woods, remember? We're not at Hyrule Castle."

"Oh, yes, hunting. That's right. Oh, and my father killed those poor deer…"

"What's it with you and deer?" I asked her curiously as we trudged along, shifting my shoulders a little- already, her gauntleted and sleeved arm was starting to chafe on the bare skin of my neck and back.

"When I was little, my mother took me out of the palace one night in secret to show me that I would be ruling over life when I was queen, not just some faces. While we were out, we saw the most beautiful stag… and mother told me that to be a good ruler, I must respect all things, the beautiful and the ugly. And then she reached out and touched its flank…" Zelda yawned again, lolling her head onto my shoulder. "It was so touching, it made me want to preserve everything I could, the beautiful and the ugly."

"But you didn't seem to care about rabbits or foxes," I prompted, trying to keep her active and alert. There was a good egg-sized lump on the back of her head, and it was all but pretty.

"There's just something about the stag, I don't know. It really is regal and beautiful. I revere it."

"At least you aren't so fond of deer that you have no respect for the fact that a good deer can feed ten hungry mouths."

"You're wise, Link," Zelda stated, flailing her wrist slightly, a finger tracing down my neck. I tried not to shiver. "Wiser than most men. You'd make a good leader."

My heart did an odd sort of flutter, my mouth went dry. "Oh?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "What makes you say that?"

"You're perceptive, intuitive, respectful, and kind. Not to mention it seems you can see several sides of a situation."

"You flatter me," I muttered, unable to stop the delighted flush spreading through my cheeks. "I'm just another normal man."

"And humble," Zelda added with a giggle. "And with a penchant for wit. And I hardly even know you and look how many good qualities I've discovered!"

"I have my faults as well," I stated, glad to see she was active. "Though pride, as I can sure you can tell, isn't one of them."

"Enlighten me," Zelda stated, tripping over a rock. I caught her deftly, my arms circling her waist. Our faces were so close that her breath streamed across my face and I could see straight through her eyes, through her pupils, who evidenced her concussion- they were different sizes.

"Well, for one," I recovered, setting her back on her feet and trying a slow pace again, "I am remarkably stubborn."

"Oh?"

"Yes," I confirmed with a nod. "Irrationally so. Not in the military, of course, and most often not with your father, though there have been times when I've proven myself more obstinate than an ass."

"Does this mean you're single minded, too?" Zelda asked me, blowing a strand of hair off of her sticky face.

"I can be. When I get fixated on a thing, I can't let go."

"Such as?" Zelda prompted, and I thought hard for a moment. Then I smiled.

"I was raised in an orphanage."

"Oh how sad!" Zelda cupped her free hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged, touched by her sentiment but feeling no pain myself. "Don't be. It was a nice place. I had to work, though, and was employed at a tailor's. There was a little girl at the orphanage that I considered like my sister, and she wanted a doll more than anything. Though the orphanage was a kind place, there weren't enough toys to go around, and Aryll, this little girl, wanted something of her own to cherish.

"So every day after I finished up work, I'd pick up cloth scraps. I collected them and hid them between my sheets. I worked feverishly to collect more and more cloth scraps. Then, after several months when I had amassed a huge collection, I went back to the tailor's and asked if I could borrow a needle and thread for the day. The tailor, being a good man, said yes.

"All that day and all that night, I clumsily sewed the patches together to make a rough sort of doll. I took stuffing from my pillow and stuffed the doll with that, and then sewed it shut. I added eyes, a nose, and a mouth with old buttons I'd found as well, and gave it to Aryll. She loved it."

"That is an example of fixation, but also of perseverance and a strong devotion to those you love. A virtue and a fault at the same time."

I smiled crookedly. "I was fixated on being a knight, too, despite my lack of title. You can ask any of the other men who were in academy with me. I was like a madman. Virtue or fault, milady?"

"As I said, both. What are your other flaws?"

"Aside from my sword, I have nothing. No name, no family, no money. This is considered by many a flaw."

"Many are fools," Zelda stated calmly. "But I am not. That is no flaw to me. What else?"

"I can't think of any more right now," I said, and then stopped short. "Oh, wait. I know. I am a patient man and forgiving, but once you have angered me you have angered me, and once you have lost my trust you have lost it forever."

"Another double-edged blade," Zelda stated with a yawn. "I am afraid, Sir Link, that I'll not entreat you to any of my faults. You'll just have to find out for yourself."

"Yes, Zelda, that I willl," I stated, gently jostling her. "Look, a way up and out of this blasted ravine."

"So it is," she stated mildly, eying the shallow and curving ramp. "How convenient."

Our words were lost in our slow, puffing ascent, and as the sun dipped lower and lower, closer to the horizon we neared the top of the ravine. Just as we crested it, the sun totally disappeared, and I looked around. It would not be good to be in this forest in the dark, especially with an injured princess on my hand. To my delight, I recognized our surroundings. We were not half an hour from the manor.

We began our trudge, talking lightly, me trying to keep Zelda engaged in conversation and conscious. We spoke some of our childhoods, though Zelda seemed uncomfortable at the great gap in class and luxury and seemed to feel some guilt for my own impoverished upbringing, though I assured her I bore her no ill will and had led a relatively content childhood. We spoke of our respective lives, our little dreams for the future, and, astoundingly, on the topic of Zelda's suitors.

"I dislike all of them," she stated as we walked on, leaning more heavily on me as the light slowly faded and we made our way closer to the manor. "Simpering and arrogant, all of them. Er, well, most of them. There's one or two good ones thrown in there, but they would make terrible kings. Too nice."

I nodded. "There's a difference between nice and kind. Nice people let it all slide and can be walked over much of the time and won't mind. Those who are kind are steady and firm but not cruelly so."

"Exactly what I believe," Zelda stated, nodding her agreement on my shoulder. "A ruler can't afford to be nice, though they can afford to be kind. Are those fey lights shimmering ahead of us?"

"No, Zelda, that's the manor." And indeed it was, all its windows lit, shining merrily ahead in the woods. It was quite dark now, and I was greatly relieved to be so close, especially as the far off keen of a wolf resounded through the forest. We made our way closer and closer to the manor, relief flooding our limbs and making our steps lighter. At long last, we reached the front door and knocked hard against it. A maid allowed us in at once and fluttered off to find the king and alert him. Zelda and I were shown to a parlor, where we both fell exhaustedly into plush chairs and gratefully accepted goblets of water. A physician was sent for to look at Zelda's pinky, ankle, and head, and just as the manservant hurried away to find the house doctor, the king came in.

Daphnes Nohansen de Hyrule was a large man who could make even the most enormous of rooms feel small. His was not an air of oppressiveness but of natural dominance- it was uncommon for someone not to feel tiny and about-to-be-squashed upon in his presence. Though I spent a great deal of time with the king, I still suffered the effects of his omnipotence. Zelda, on the other hand, did not, and it seemed she would not even have noticed his entrance had he not called attention to himself.

"Zelda!" the king cried exuberantly as he strode into the room. Lacking all regality,. He threw his arms around his daughter, holding to her tightly. "Goddesses praise! I'd feared for you so! We couldn't find you or your horse anywhere. Your Epona," he said, turning to me, "returned to the stable, and so I knew that you must have dismounted, or been thrown. Thank goodness you were able to find her, Link. Are you alright, my dear?"

"I don't know," Zelda replied, thinking hard. "I fell down a ravine, didn't I? And then what. Oh, yes, there was Link. What happened after that, Link? I remember something about shoes."

"Zelda has a concussion, a broken pinky, and a sprained ankle, I think. She took a lovely tumble, I have to say. A healer has already been sent for," I added at the king's look of worry. "Anyway, I used my tunic to make a brace and a boot for her ankle, and kept her awake through chatter all the way home."

"By Farore," the king stated, finally realizing that I was, in fact, without a shirt (and that my chest was covered from scratches from the forest bramble) and that Zelda's entire pinky was ominously violet, that her pupils were mismatched and that a bulky green cloth bootie covered her right foot. "praise the Goddesses you were able to follow her and save her- and praise them more that you were able to get home before too late! The oddest thing happened, though. The hounds couldn't track you…"

The healer entered the room just then and the king deferred to him, who sat on a footstool and began to examine Zelda and myself. I was fine, aside from the scratches on my chest and arms and a few strained muscles, and Zelda's verdict was much the same as mine, save for the addition of several bruised ribs and a pulled muscle in her back. The little man's advice was that we were both to stay in bed the next day, and be inactive for at least a week, minimum, due to our bodies' response to exertion and stress. And, the healer added as my stomach rumbled loudly, we were to be fed immediately. A maid rushed away to fetch meals for both Zelda and myself and I settled deeper into my chair, glad in my bones to be back at the mansion, and moreover, every fiber of my being was filled with relief that Zelda was okay. Zelda would be fine.

But I was only so relieved because she was the princess, right? I mean, it wasn't like I had any reason more to celebrate, except that she was slightly my friend. Friend….

My food passed in a hungry blur, and next thing I knew I was sitting in my room, alone on my bed. It was pitch black outside, and from the sounds coming through the walls, the other knights had retired for the evening- maids in tow.

A soft knock came at my door. Groaning, I stood from my bed, not looking forward to the prospect of turning away another maid. I pulled it open and saw a pretty girl with loose pale locks standing before me. She wore the standard uniform of the maids, a light frock and dainty leather booties. She curtsied, and looked up at me, her blue eyes sparkling. There was something about those blue eyes that was familiar.

"M'lord, I've a fresh set of sheets for ye. If ye'll let me in, I'll make ye bed for ye."

"Uh, sure," I stammered. "Come in." There was something disconcertingly familiar about this maid, something I couldn't put my finger on….

She stepped lightly in and suddenly the door shut behind her. I looked at it- I hadn't shut it- and then looked back to the maid. Her locks darkened and tumbled out of her braid, her dress lengthened into a dressing gown over a nightdress, and her features became less vague and more familiar. Before me was standing the princess.

I was totally without words. "Ahhh."

"I just came to thank you," she said, smiling at me and sitting down on the corner of my bed. "For today."

"Won't you be missed?" I asked stupidly. Zelda smiled and shook her head, her golden locks swaying.

"I put a glamour on a pillow to make it look like me. Nobody will notice I'm gone."

"So that's what that thing was," I exhaled. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither does anybody else, save for my nursemaid," Zelda replied, beaming at me. "She taught me."

"So your father…."

"No," Zelda replied, looking down. "He doesn't know. He wouldn't approve, either."

"Why not? That's…" I groped for a word, thinking as I sat down next to Zelda on the quilted bedcovers. "Amazing. Useful. If the palace is ever attacked, you can make a double and slip out in the disguise of enemy soldiers. Why wouldn't he approve?"

Zelda shrugged. "Father has a thing against magic. He thinks it's dishonorable. But you nailed the reason why Impa taught me." Zelda smiled, cocking her head at me. "For my own protection, though she never outlawed myself having a bit of fun with it. In fact," Zelda stated, eyes glittering, "she might even approve."

"Approve of you sneaking into a man's room at night, alone? Zelda, what if someone comes in?"

"They won't," she stated, pointing at the door. The lock clicked into place. She snapped her fingers, and the door seemed to shimmer. I raised my eyebrow, and she smiled cheekily at me. "You are now asleep."

I nodded, chewing my inner lip. Zelda hummed lightly to herself as she looked around my room, but she stayed where she was on the corner of my bed. I noted that her pupils were both the same size- apparently, her concussion had already vanished, or been cured. By her own devious magical ways, too, I was sure. I spoke.

"You… you wouldn't ever use magic on another person, would you?"

"Goddesses, no," Zelda stated, looking flabbergasted. "Not even if they merited it. That was one of the first things that I learned. No using magic on others, no matter the intentions. There's no telling what might go wrong when it isn't yourself."

We lapsed into comfortable silence. I was surprised when Zelda slowly threaded her fingers into my hand, and turned to her in surprise. She was smiling.

"Strange, though we just met a few days ago, it already feels like I've known you my whole life," she stated, looking down at our hands. "And already, you are such a dear, dear friend to me. She gave my hand an extra squeeze, and then stood, her glamour ruffling up from her toes to her hair, turning her at once into that same vague maid. She dropped me a curtsy, blue eyes sparkling.

"There, sir, I've changed ye sheets. No bed bugs'll be biting that pretty skin of yours tonight." The Zelda-Maid smiled. "If ye'd like, sir, I'll come back and visit ye t'morrow night, too."

"Yes," I said, my throat strangely filled with some inexplicable emotion. "Yes, that would be very nice."

"For any who ask, sir, my name's Cyssa." Cyssa -Zelda dropped another curtsy and flicked her wrist at the door, opening it effortlessly from across the room. She scuttled through and the door shut after her, just as my brain made the connection to the famous Cyssa, whose legendary exploits were told to children as bedtime stories- the wife of a simple tailor who would disguise herself during the day to make sure that her husband was faithful, often inadvertently causing huge messes in the process. My bark of laughter followed Zelda down the hall, I'm certain, and smiling despite the exhaustion of the day, I slipped out of my clothes and crawled into my bed, sinking into an easy slumber, a pair of pretty blue eyes swimming before me in my dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Zelda remained in bed, healing, for a week, though each night she came in to speak with me, and we shared the details of our respective days. Though the events of our days were few and far between- Zelda being bedridden and myself being confined to all but the most mundane activities, we somehow managed to talk late into the night each night. After nearly eight nights of this had passed, Zelda informed me that she was well again- well enough to learn archery, as it was.

"Are you sure?" I asked her, quite skeptical. Eagerly, the princess nodded, smiling at me. Before I could voice any more doubts, she spoke.

"I have it all figured out," she began. "On Goddessday, all the staff have the morning off. There's a small village outside the woods where they all go, to the market or to visit their families, so on. All the knights go out hunting, and the manor is relatively deserted. Deserted enough to allow us to practice in the yard, that is." Zelda giggled lightly and clapped her hands, smiling at me. "See? It's a perfect plan."

"Unless we're spotted," I stated blandly. "Or people wonder why both of us are remaining at the manor. People will think it's suspicious."

"Oh pooh." Zelda waved it aside, and smiled, nodding towards the window. "I'm sure _he _doesn't think so."

"He?" I turned to face the window, where I'd left one of my bags lying since the first night at the lodge. Instead of a bag lying on the seat, however, I saw a mirror image of myself sitting there, blowing his nose into a hanky. He looked absolutely miserable as he again sneezed into a handkerchief. I turned back to Zelda, impressed.

"I suppose that takes care of myself, and you're theoretically still hurt, but I ask you- what of the other knights? Rarely does the entire century go out hunting together."

"Well, it's just going to be one of those rare times, now isn't it?" Zelda smiled again sweetly, and the idea possessed me that I didn't want to know what she had in mind to manipulate all the knights into going. As I grew more and more accustomed to Zelda, I grew more and more wary of what her scheming mind could accomplish. Her heart was full of goodness, this I knew, but her mind was something to watch out for. Probably.

Zelda turned her head sharply suddenly, looking at one wall. Her eyes, though, went through it, beyond it, beyond anything I would ever perceive. She stood from the edge of the bed in a sudden, fluid movement, the glamour peeling over her, toe to head.

"Forgive me, Link," said Cyssa-Zelda, dropping a curtsy. "I've told my maids a thousand times that I am loathe to be disturbed at night, but for some reason tonight, they have decided to intrude on my chambers, and are working their way through the lock on the door." She scowled.

"Zelda," I said, my voice surprising me as I stood from the bed, taking her two hands in mine. She looked slightly startled, and then her fingers settled into my grasp comfortably.

"Yes?" Cyssa-Zelda asked me, turning her pretty blue eyes up to my own. Though the face wasn't hers, the eyes belonged to Zelda, through and through. I smiled.

"I enjoy your visits very much. If you may get in trouble for it, however..."

"The choice is mine to make," she responded with a kind smile. "Don't worry. I won't get in trouble. I have explanations and excuses, so don't worry. I enjoy spending time with you. I admit, this is the high point in my day."

That threw me. I did my best not to show it, and instead squeezed her fingers gently, and let her hands fall gently from my grasp.

"Tomorrow, then?" I asked Cyssa-Zelda, and she smiled, nodding as she walked to the door.

"I'll come get you when we're good. Good night, Link. Sleep well."

"And you," I stated, leaning against the doorframe and watching a sure-footed little maid make her way down the corridor. After she'd vanished around the corner I sighed, stepping back and shutting the door, and looking over at the window. The glamour of myself was still there, sneezing silently into his hankie. I stood and walked over to it, trying to decide what to do. All of a sudden, he put down his handkerchief and looked at me, my own pale eyes penetrating and more disconcerting than I'd ever thought they were. Suddenly, my double smiled and nodded, and vanished.

Zelda…

Up to her little pranks, as always, I thought, and suddenly wished Esten were there. We had an unusually strong bond, much like brothers. Esten and I could talk about anything- whenever either of us was lacking security of mind for any reason, we knew we could go to the other and enumerate upon every last detail, and get an honest response. Though this trait and bond was considered feminine by many of the other knights, it kept us sane in times of stress and hardship. And now, when I needed Esten to tell me that I wasn't crazy, he was nowhere around.

What would he say if he was, though…?

I undressed and crawled into bed, blowing out my candle and staring at the ceiling in the dark. If Esten had seen everything, heard everything, what would he tell me?

I could see him in my mind's eye, see him with his long dark brown hair that he kept neatly tied at the nape of his neck, see his square face and even smile and mischievous yet pondering dark blue eyes.

"Well, brother," he'd say to me after much contemplation that involved chewing his lip, because that was what he did when he contemplated things, "it sounds to me like you've gone and belly flopped into disaster."

"How so?" I asked him, tilting my sword to look down the polished blade. We were sitting in the courtyard, observing the rookies practicing. Esten shrugged one shoulder, the fabric of his brown tunic rustling a little.

"You, with your curiosity and good intentions, went and befriended the princess. But you got more than you bargained for in the princess and stumbled upon a wildfire when you'd expected no flame. So now you're confused and not sure what to do, but you're so intrigued to the princess that you can't pull away- and even if you could, you wouldn't want to, because there's something in the way that she is that makes you feel like somebody. It's like you'd do anything for her, even the stupidest thing, if she asked you to. You want her to be happy, this you know, though you're completely confused about yourself and what you should do. But you're going to stay by her anyway, even though you halfway think you're crazy for doing it."

It was as though he'd spoken out everything I'd ever felt and worried then, and it took the wind from me. "That's absolutely right. How did you know?"

Esten smiled one of those charming grins of his that he used shamelessly to his advantage to melt the hearts of anyone in his way. "Because that's how I feel about my Damleda. Link, buddy, you've fallen completely head over heels for the princess."

"Oh." I was oddly calm as we sat there, watching the rookies sweat. "So that's what it is, you think?"

"I know," Esten stated simply. "It's obvious you're crazy about her, even though you'd never admit it yourself. "

"I'm obvious?" I asked, scratching my neck. "Seriously?"

"To someone who knows you well enough, yes. Better be careful around the king," Esten added seriously. "I don't know how kindly he'd take to the idea of you being all mushy on his daughter."

"He'd laugh at me and say, about time, how could anyone not be in love with her." I exhaled, sheathing my sword. I stood up and paced for a moment, and then blurted out my secret. "I overheard the king and Zelda talking the other night. She made a bargain with him, asked for a hundred days to find someone she wanted to marry instead of being wed off to one of those crazed suitors of hers. And the king said yes. What if… do you think…"

I looked down, embarrassed to put my thoughts aloud. "What if she chooses me to marry her?"

"Could you deny her?" Esten asked me. I shook my head, though my heart was thudding in my chest. Esten exhaled, nodding slightly. "I see. Link, I'm going to warn you. The princess has shown herself to be fickle- I think you would agree. And dozens of men are vying for her heart and hand. You mustn't let it crush you if she chooses another. It just means that things weren't meant to be between you."

"I know," I replied quietly. "I hope… I hope that whatever choice she makes, she is happy."

Esten smiled at me, standing as well and walking next to me and clapping my shoulder.

"No worries, brother. You have three months."

"Three months…" I repeated. "Yes, I suppose I do."

"Anything can happen," Esten added, and I nodded my agreeance.

"You're right, Esten. Let's not think about this now and just take things as they come."

"Atta boy." Esten squeezed my shoulder and then let go. "Feeling any better?"

"Much," I replied, exhaling and smiling. "Thanks, Esten."

He smiled that even little smile at me again, exposing a line of perfect, white teeth. "Not a problem, brother."

The courtyard melted away into the ceiling of my light flooded chambers, my clothes transforming on my skin to sheets wrapped around me. Where Esten had been there was a grinning face, a woman's face. Zelda's face.

"Huh?" I stuttered stupidly. I didn't even remember falling asleep. "What do you want?"

"It's time for you to wake up, Mr. Knight," she stated merrily. "Archery lessons are today."

"Where is everybody? Are they all already gone?"

"Yep," Zelda stated, nodding her head slightly. "And don't worry, nobody even bothered you. They came in once, and saw that you were out like a light, and figured that you still needed your rest or whatever. So we're fine! We don't even need the glamour."

"Oh." I blinked a few times, and then suddenly realized that I was naked under the sheets. "Err, Zelda…"

"Hmm?" She was idly poking my shoulder, wholly oblivious.

"Can you get out so I can get dressed?"

"Huh?" She blinked twice, and then grinned at me, standing. "Alright. Sorry, I wasn't even thinking about it. I assumed you were wearing trousers or something."

I blushed crimson. "No, no trousers. Go on, I'll meet you down in the yard in just a few minutes."

"Alrighty then." Zelda tossed me a last flirtatious smile and swept out of the room, the door snapping smartly behind her as she exited. I leaned my head back in my pillow, exhaling, waiting for a few moments until I got up. How incredibly embarrassing… but Zelda didn't seem to mind. But it was so… indecent. If anyone ever found out, anyone at all…

As I dressed, I recalled Zelda's words of last night: "it's my choice to make." So if she wanted to ruin her reputation, that was perfectly fine.. but did she really have to drag me down with her?

_Yes_, a little voice said deep within me. _She's latched onto you and is clinging to you as though to driftwood in a raging river. Wild as she may be, she needs you_.

But then I forced the voice into silence and finished clothing myself in a simple loose tunic and trousers. Tapping on my boots, I wandered from my room through the mansion, down and out into the yard, where Zelda was waiting. She hadn't noticed my presence yet, and so I simply stopped to watch her for a moment. A tabby cat, one of the mangy creatures kept around the manor for hunting vermin, wound itself around her ankles. A tender smile on her lips, she leaned down and scratch underneath the much-ignored cat's chin. It closed its eyes and began to purr, a loud rattling I could hear all the way over where I was. It ducked its head, scraping its cheek against Zelda's leg, and she laughed aloud. She knelt and scooped the cat into her arms, hugging it to her body. It looked up with playful eyes, batting at a strand of her hair. Its claws, however, were out, and as I watched, it made a neat, razor-thin slice across her cheek. Zelda frowned, and then smiled at the cat again, patting it gently on its head and setting it down.

At the sight of the claw scraping against precious skin, I'd rushed forward. Zelda turned to face me, and I saw the faint trickle of blood flowing down her cheek.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, searching for a kerchief.

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile. "Sweet cat. It didn't mean to scratch me. That did hurt, though…." She winced and made a face, and in all my fumbling, I somehow managed to find the kerchief. I began to carefully daub at the blood that was slowly trickling down her cheek, staunching the slow, rolling flow.

"You really don't have to do this, you know," she stated unnecessarily as I carefully patted away the blood. "I'm fine, honestly."

Her muscles were relaxing: I could see it.

"I mean, I don't want you getting the idea that I'm a helpless female who is weak and can't tolerate pain or do anything for herself. Past week and a half, I've probably given you that impression."

"You haven't," I said, fixating my eyes on the gash in her beautiful skin. "If anything, you've completely terrified me with how not-dependent you are."

"But you make it sound like a bad thing," Zelda said, flopping one arm.

"Anything can be a bad thing if you look at it just so. It's a thing and that's what counts."

I heard her sigh, frustrated. "You're impossible. Oh, Link, just leave it."

"It'll get infected," I stated irrationally. Zelda gently pushed me away, smiling.

"No it won't," she replied simply, and as I watched in amazement, a new skin grew over the small gash, leaving nothing. I gaped.

"More magic?" I finally asked. Zelda nodded, still smiling, but there was something strange in her eyes. A spark of her usual energy had gone out.

"More tiring than glamours," she stated plainly. "It's a sort of form of telekinesis, sort of, and not illusion. Actually moving or changing something requires tremendous amounts of energy. That's why," she said, answering my question before I could voice it, "I didn't do anything in the ravine the other day. I couldn't. It would have knocked me out cold for at least a day, which would have been worse, I think."

I nodded, my mind immersed in this new fact about magic, Zelda, everything. The princess suddenly clapped her hands, though, jerking me out of my thoughts, and beamed at me, that extra energy of hers back, mostly. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"Right," I said, and walked away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Zelda asked. I turned and grinned at her over my shoulder, replying, "to get you a bow and arrows!"

"Oh." Her cheeks were tinged pink, I could see it even from the distance that I was at. I entered the manor, trotted along to the armory, grabbed the least advanced bow I could find, a quiver of arrows, and after much thought, an old musty cow hide, and trotted back out and to Zelda, the cow hide flapping behind me ridiculously.

"What's that for?" She asked me as I halted in front of her, dropping the bow and arrows.

"A target," I replied simply, hanging it over a branch. "I doubt we'll get far enough to using it as a target today, but you never know."

"Then what will our targets be?"

"For now, trees," I replied simply. Zelda looked like she was torn halfway between laughter and protest, but I stooped to pick up the bow and handed it to her. With slight trepidation, she took it.

"This is your stave," I said, tapping the top of the bow. "Below that is the nock, where your string attaches. This curved part here above the handle is the upper… Zelda, you're holding it upside down."

"Whoops," she stated, blushing and turning it around. "Sorry."

I grinned at her, shaking my head. "It's okay. I did that first time too. Anyway, this curved part is the upper limb. What you're holding onto is the grip, also known as the handle. This is the back of the bow," I pointed, and then ran my finger along the inside of the bottom of the curve of the bow, "and this is the belly. Below that is the lower limb, the nock, and the stave. Do you have that?"

"Um…" Zelda looked at it for a moment, and then smiled. "Yes. Stave, nock, upper limb, grip, back, belly, lower limb, nock, stave…"

"And string," I added, plucking the bow string so that it gave off a nice, resonating twang.

"And string," Zelda agreed with a nod. "But how do you tell which side is up?"

"It's flatter on the bottom where the belly and the back are, do you see? And also, up here on the grip, it's flat where you nock your arrows. So, got that?"

"Yeah," Zelda said, staring intently at the belly.

"This is your arrow," I said, drawing one from the quiver and holding it for her in two hands. "There's that little bit at the back where you attach it to the string. That's the nock. The feather part is known as the fletching. From there, you have the shaft, and at the end, the tip. Sometimes the tip is coated with a metal to make it sharper, but these are just whittled, do you see?"

"Yeah," she said, bending close to the arrow to have a better look. One wanton tendril of hair that had escaped its braided prison brushed my hand. I tried not to shiver.

Zelda straightened back up, smiling. "Okay. I've got it. Nock, fletching, shaft, tip. That's not to hard."

"No, it isn't," I stated, looking around. "But learning is. We're going to practice without arrows for a minute, okay?"

"Okay," Zelda stated, watching as I dropped the quiver. "So I should just… try it out, then?"

"In a way. Are you left or right handed?"

"Right," Zelda stated, fisting and flexing the fingers on said right hand. I nodded. I myself was left-handed, but could shoot either way.

"Okay then. Take the bow in your left… you're holding it upside down again, that's okay," I stated as she turned another lovely shade of pink. "You're still learning, it's okay. Extend your left arm out in front of you and a little towards the center of your body. Good. Grip the bow tightly, just like that, yes. Now, with your right hand, grip the string with your first two fingers… higher, higher, yes, right there. That's where your arrow will be mounted. Now pull the string back, try and touch it to your cheek…."

"This is difficult," she squeaked as she pulled back the string.

"I know, it is hard at first. You'll get used to it in no time, though. Alright, now aim, I'll teach you do to that in a bit… and let go."

Zelda let go of the string and it twanged, snapping against her left forearm. "Ouch!"

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you. It does that…"

"This is painful," Zelda stated, looking between her left forearms and the tips of her first two fingers on her right hand, which had welted red from the string. "Really painful."

"Do you want to go and get gloves, and I'll find you an arm guard?" I asked, wondering at myself for trying so hard. Zelda nodded, and we agreed to meet back in five minutes' time. I set off for the armory again, grabbed an arm guard that looked like it would fit her, and sauntered back to our designated practice area. Zelda had been right in choosing Goddesday morning, I thought. The whole manor was completely deserted.

Whistling an old folk tune to myself, I hopped down the steps and out into the practice yard. Zelda was nowhere in sight. Still carrying my little tune, I picked up her bow and grabbed an arrow, nocked it, and pulled it back to my cheek. I looked at the cow hide and decided no, too easy. I looked up and down the length of the tree, and finally spotted a little knot some way up. Hardly pausing to think, I aimed and let go. The arrow sliced through the air, soaring true to its target. With a thud, it pierced through the dead center of the knot, vibrating slightly from its sudden impact. I heard clapping and I turned, ceasing my whistling. Zelda was standing there, her hunting gloves slung over her shoulder, left one half on.

"I must look like a complete idiot to you," she stated, finishing up with her left and gloving her right.

"Not at all," I replied easily, grinning. "You look like someone who is learning something new for the first time. There's a difference."

"Of course," Zelda stated wryly. I picked up the arm guard from where I'd tossed it at my feet, brushed it off, and handed it to Zelda, who slipped it over her left arm, tightening the thongs.

"It's a little loose," she grimaced once she'd gotten it all the way tight.

"It'll serve our purposes," I replied, and beckoned her over to me. "Let's practice a bit more before we start with arrows. Oh, I forgot. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart or so, a comfortable distance, almost perpendicular to where you want your arrow to go. Ah, here's your bow."

"Thank you, Link," Zelda chirped cheerfully, smiling. "So, like this?"

"That's perfect," I stated with a grin. "Go ahead and draw."

She pulled the string back, and let go. It snapped against the arm guard as it went, and Zelda smiled, obviously glad that hadn't been her skin again.

"Good," I stated. "Very good. You're a quick learner. Now let's try it with arrows. I'm going to help you the first time, just so you can get the feeling for what it's like, and after that, you're on your own."

I drew an arrow out from the quiver, slinging it back across my back, and handed it to Zelda. "Nock the arrow into the string. Good. Let it sit on that flat part there… yes, just like that. Now pull it back…"

Zelda did so, and I carefully put my arms around her, my left over her left, my right over her right, the bare fingers of my hand against the texture of her leather gloves. She started slightly but then relaxed.

"Good," I said in her ear, helping her to aim. "Now, look. I'm pointing where we want the arrow to go with my left hand, see? Where do you want to shoot?"

"Where you shot your arrow," she replied, her voice soft.

"Alright. Go ahead and line up the target…" she lined it up, though she was slightly off. With the lightest pressure, I guided her to where the arrow would shoot. "You have to aim a bit up." I pulled the string back just a bit more, my thumb brushing against Zelda's cheek. "Ready?"

"Ready," she replied, almost inaudibly. As one, we let go of the string. The arrow flew up to the knot and thudded in, nestling comfortably just below the first.

"Good job," I told Zelda. "Do you sort of see how that goes?" Kind of?"

"I think so," she replied, looking from the bow to the arrow so high up. I patted her on the shoulder.

"Good. Now, I was helping you, so I don't expect your aim to be that good every time. It takes a lot of practice, and practice is what we're going to be doing. We'll start with the tree. Let's get a bit closer."

"Closer to the tree?" Zelda asked, looking at it. "But it isn't that far away…"

"But you're just learning," I mimicked her. "Come on. Tree."

"Fine," she sighed, grumpy. I grinned, shaking my head, and settled seven feet from the round oak tree, roughly the same size around as the king, or so went my guess..

"Now, go on then..." I handed her an arrow, and she nocked and aimed. "Remember to point and aim a bit up. Relax your shoulders more. Feet, good… Fire when ready."

The first arrow she fired just barely missed. Her face was a mask of bitter disappointment- "but it's so close!"

"It's okay," I comforted her. "Learning, remember? Keep trying, you'll get it."

She got it on her third try. From there, we took steps back, slowly increasing the space between Zelda and the tree. After nearly an hour, Zelda was exhausted. I went to fetch all the arrows we'd shot, allowing her reprieve.

"We're going to stop for today," I stated, pulling down the unused cow hide and looking up at the two arrows in the knot of the tree. "And we're going to leave those arrows."

"Why?" Zelda asked, looking up at them. I grinned at her, depositing the many arrows in the quiver. I'd whittle them back into shape tonight.

"To inspire you," I stated, helping Zelda to undo the thongs on her arm guard. "If we get in a lot of work, you might be able to hit that by the time we leave the manor. Maybe. But we'll have to figure out a way…"

"Afternoons, perhaps," she stated. "When we get back from the hunts, and everybody's- ow!" She gave a slight hiss of pain as she pulled her right glove off.

"Oh, Zelda, I'm so sorry! I forgot!"

"It's okay, Link. I really don't use it. It just got pulled a little getting this stupid glove off…" She glared at her still-purple finger, and sighed. "What a waste of a good digit."

"Let's go get some lunch and go on a picnic," I offered suddenly, hoping to distract Zelda from her broken finger. "Pilfered from the kitchen. You know." I grinned and she smiled, shrugging.

"Alrighty then."

Zelda and I walked together back inside, dropping the bow and arrows in the foyer, and grabbed some food, which Zelda tied up in a scarf produced out of nowhere. We walked out of the manor and into the woods a small way, and I looked around, recognizing where we were.

"Here," I said, taking her hand and leading her through the forest. "I found this place last time we came hunting here a few months back. It should be… aha."

There was a little circular copse of trees, and in the center, a small clearing. We took up residence on a fallen log, Zelda unpacking the lunch of venison and some fruit.

"How did you find this place?"

"Esten- my friend- and I were out riding and I stumbled upon it. Pretty, isn't it?"

"It is," Zelda agreed, taking a bite of an apple. She slipped into thought, brooding thought, like the flicker I'd seen the first night at dinner as she'd gazed into the campfire. This, however, did not pass. We ate in silence- myself taking in the surroundings and relaxing, leaving Zelda to her thoughts. If she wanted to tell me, she would tell me. If not, there was no use forcing it out of her- the princess, I had learned, was stubborn as a mule.

I finished my food and, noting that Zelda had also finished her meal, stood. I held my hands out to Zelda- she grabbed them gently but did not stand.

"Link, it must be nice to be able to marry for love."

"I suppose," I stated carefully, gently coaxing her to her feet. She kept a tight hold on my hands, however, even as she only stood a few inches from me. She lowered her eyes, allotting me a lovely view of her dark lashes, astounding with her fair hair.

"Do you not have a lady waiting for you back at the palace?" she asked me. I sighed.

"No," I replied. "I'm afraid that none of them have ever caught my fancy. Why? What's wrong?" I knew what was wrong- or at least, I had a good guess.

Zelda surprised me by flinging her arms around me and burying her face into my chest. She began to babble into the fabric of my tunic and I cocked my head so as to better hear her muffled confession.

"…and the chances of that are slim to none, but I don't want to marry a man I can't love but I hardly have much of a choice, Hyrule comes first and I come second, but oh Link, you have no idea how stressful this is, they're all terrible men and Hyrule will be a wreck and where will I be because none of them are right for me and it's just such a mess, I wish I could live like you, free to marry who I want…" She shuddered and her words stopped, and a moment later I felt warm wetness seeping through my tunic. She was crying.

"I'm just so frustrated."

"It's okay, Zelda," I said, wrapping my arms around her and shushing her gently. As she cried, I stroked her hair, murmuring comfort to her. "It'll be okay. Everything will be fine. I'll watch out for you, Zelda, I promise."

She looked up at me, sniffling, eyes rimmed red. "You promise? Even if you fall in love with some… some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids?"

"Especially if I fall in love with some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids," I replied with a little smile. "Though I must say, if I wound up siring fifty billion children, I think my wife would kill me."

Zelda let out a choked laugh and burrowed back into my tunic, breathing deep, calming herself down. I continued to rub soothing circles on her back, resting my cheek atop her hair. I'd never really realized how tall I was or how short Zelda was until this- holding her in my arms, the top of her head barely came up to my chin. I breathed deep the scent of her, relaxing, being there for her- her comfort, her protector, her loyal knight. And still her words danced around in my head… "even if you fall in love with some… some girl and go off and get married and have fifty billion kids…"

The idea of just going off with some girl was empty to me- falling in love with 'some girl' and marrying her and having children by her held no emotion for me. Some girl would not do- not when I could be near Zelda. Zelda intrigued me and confused me, and made me want to be a better person myself for her. I didn't know why, though… I'd only known her a short time, and already the thought of life without her was a bleak thought indeed.

I sighed. I'd talk to Esten about it when I got back to the castle. Esten… he'd been in my dream, hadn't he? Saying something… but I couldn't recall what…

Zelda shifted and pulled back, jerking me from my thoughts. I let go, but she remained clinging to one of my hands as though it was the last thing holding her on the face of the world. She smiled blearily at me, sniffling a little, and all of a sudden her red-rimmed eyes and pink-tipped nose vanished.

"We need to get back," she stated, looking much like herself, save for that lack of sparkle in her eyes. "The servants will be arriving home soon to fix supper for the knights."

"Of course," I said, walking over to the scarf and remnants of our food, tying them up and knotting themto my belt.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry that?" Zelda asked, slipping her hand back into mine. I grinned down at her, being the pillar, her comfort.

"What kind of knight would I be if I let a lovely lady like yourself carry something as heavy as a scarf?"

Zelda laughed again and pleasure purred within me. We walked back to the manor in comforting silence, breaking our bonded hands as we entered sight. I turned to Zelda for a moment-a thought had just struck me.

"What of your ladies? Surely they wouldn't leave you alone all day?"

"Of course they would," Zelda replied, flipping her warrioress's braid over her shoulder, much more back to normal by now. "They didn't want to come to this 'goddess-forsaken' place anyway. I told them to go on and take the morning off, since I'd dragged them. They were more than happy to comply." Zelda grinned wryly, and then her face turned slightly more serious.

"Thank you, Link. I ask so much of you and you ask for so little in return."

"What are friends for?" I asked her, smiling. She grinned as well.

"Bending over backwards and getting nothing in return. Thank you, Link."

"Not a problem," I replied, and merrily, we made our way into the manor.

It was still empty inside, which was good- it gave me time to stash the bow, hide, and arm guard back in the armory, and take my arrows up to my room. Zelda, on the other hand, immediately hurried off, to "make herself presentable." When I saw her at dinner that night, she was resplendent in a simple blue gown as she sat and spoke with her father all through dinner. I sat alone, but comfortably so and thinking the whole time. After dinner, I went to my room and sat for a while, and then Zelda appeared, as usual. We talked about nothing for nearly an hour, and then she bid me goodnight.

Lying in bed, I couldn't get to sleep. My mind roared and tumbled through thought. Zelda, Zelda, Zelda. Obviously, I couldn't live with her- she threw my whole ordered, predictable life into utter chaos, but it wasn't like I could live without her, either- without Zelda, everything would be winter, colorless, bleak, cold.

I would have to sit down and have a long talk with Esten back at the palace. Yes, I decided. That was exactly what I would do. He would solve everything.

Next thing I knew, I was out like a light.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

After Zelda's tearful confession of stress and fear, life was relatively calm. Time elapsed in strange waves, as time always does, and after three weeks of hunting with the king and sneaking around with Zelda, after three weeks of late-night visits and developing bonds and archery and picnics on Sundays, it was almost time to go home.

The last hunt had much the same tradition as the first, except in reverse. Everybody went on the hunt in the morning, came back in the afternoon, got wholly drunk and ravaged the maids all night. Then, the next morning, we would begin the trip back home.

Our last day at the manor dawned unusually cool for the south. True, it was springtime, but the forested area was often the most pleasant of temperatures- the palace, on the other hand, was probably having a miserably chilly morning.

I drew my coat closer around me as we rode quietly through the woods, staring at the back of Zelda's loose warrior-maiden braid. It was probably the last time I'd see it, too- at the palace, her hair was always perfect in the latest fashions, whether it was down or up. And as her hair would change, so would her behavior. She'd resume the courtly, icy stance, and probably completely forget about me. She'd be intimidating and distant but a perfect lady, and if she were ever seen with a knight of any kind, he would be her guard, not her friend. Princesses just didn't socialize with the lower classes like that.

I sighed. Times like this, it felt my life was a worthless waste of revelry in the king's court.

And then Zelda turned over her shoulder and smiled at me before turning forward again, free hand tight on Fenny's reigns. Her other hand was gloved, a restless falcon sitting atop it.

_You are for the princess_, I reminded myself. _Sometimes she may turn her back, but even if she does, you serve her through and through. That is your purpose._

The hunt was, sadly, mostly uneventful. Two deer felled at once by the King, and a fox by Zelda's falcon, and that was the end of our hunt.

There was much cheer and celebration as we rode back to the manor. True, the hunt had not been a good one, but there would be great revelries this night.

We arrived back and the manor and everybody went to freshen up and begin their packing- the knights would not have time after dinner, as they'd be too busy enjoying themselves with the maids, and there would be no time in the morning as we'd leave at dawn. So we went to our rooms and changed into fresher clothes, threw everything in our bags and tromped down to dinner, eager for the night to begin.

I was eager for a very different reason than the other knights- Zelda had assured me two weeks back that her maids had cracked and given in to the knights, and now spent every night giggling, away from her chambers. This meant that Zelda and I got more time together each night for our ritualistic talks about nothing, and also for stealing food from the kitchen, which we'd taken to doing as well.

Dinner that night was a great feast, and we all ate hardily- on the road the next night, dinner would be venison jerkey and dry fruits. The night after that, though, back at the palace, there would be another feast in honor of our return. It seemed that wherever the king's century went, feasts and fun inevitably followed.

I spent the feast alone- Zelda dined, as usual, with her father. And, as usual, I didn't mind, as it gave me time to think. This particular night, as I was in a slightly sillier humor, I contemplated my potatoes and shared more bantering words with the increasingly drunken knights than usual- I disapprove of mindless inebriation.

I went back to my room after dark, ignoring the sounds of the drunken knights chasing the squealing maids up and down the hallway. And then from outside the door, I heard "Cyssa's" voice:

"Oh, no sir, I'm on my way to Sir Link right now."

"Link? I'll be damned. 'Bout time the boy loosened up! Bed 'im good, lady, and when you're done with him, come to me."

"Yes, Sir," Cyssa said, and entered my room, shutting the door behind her. I noticed that she was totally calm and composed- the lewdness of the knights had not disturbed her in the slightest.

"Glad you came, but did you really have to make such an excuse?" I asked her as the glamour bubbled away and she locked the door, waving her hand over it. She grinned at me big, letting loose her hair, wavy from its braid earlier.

"Yes."

She looked utterly tantalizing. I shook it off, sitting down on my bed- Zelda plopped belly-down on Esten's unoccupied bed, still grinning. I gave in. "What's that you're smiling about?"

"Smiling? I'm not smiling about anything, what are you talking about?" She grinned bigger. I couldn't help smiling back at her, rolling over to look at the thatched ceiling.

"Fine, leave me in the dark," I grumbled. I snuck a peek at Zelda, who looked thoughtful, and then averted my eyes as her gaze danced over in my direction.

"You know, Link, I haven't been sleeping much at night."

"No?" I asked her, surprised. "Why not?"

She shrugged, putting her feet on the floor and standing. "Just couldn't. So I figured I'd make good used of the time." She sat down next to me, smiling down at me, her hair forming a curtain around our faces.

"Oh?" I vaguely wondered what she was getting at, but was too busy feasting my eyes on her beautiful features to press further. Besides, she was going to tell me. I knew her well enough to know this.

"Yes," she replied, and turned her head to the windowsill. "Look."

I idly followed her gaze to see the straps of my bag slowly and tentatively unworking themselves. I turned back to Zelda, awed. There was the slightest sheen of perspiration on her face, but other than that, she looked fine.

"Amazing," I told her, sincerely impressed. "You've been practicing."

"Making myself stronger," she replied, sitting on the bed and crawling over my stomach to lie perpendicular to me, with her knees hanging off the edge of the bed and her head resting on my chest. Idly, I played with a few golden locks of her hair, both of us lost in our own worlds of thought. Finally, Zelda spoke again.

"Link, do you believe in love?" she asked me, voice lilting. I shrugged, running my fingers through her hair.

"I don't know. I suppose I do- I grew up in an orphanage without knowing the love of a parent, but I had Aryll and now I have Esten, too. Romantically, though? Maybe for me someday." With you, I added silently, still toying with her beautiful golden locks. But it was too much to dream for. "Do you, Zelda?"

"I believe in love of every kind," she replied. "But it's too much for me to hope for."

"But there is hope," I stated absently. "Isn't there?"

"A small chance," she acquiesced quietly. "An increasingly small chance."

"But there is hope," I said to her softly. "And that's what matters."

She curled up against my side, turning and resting her head over my heart so that we were lying together, like lovers. "Yes," she replied. "It is."

I wrapped a protective arm around her and we stayed like that, lying together on my bed through the whole night, the both of us sliding through sleep and wake. Roughly two hours before dawn, I gently woke Zelda.

"Zelda, Zelda, wake up," I stated, tenderly shaking her shoulder. "Zelda, you need to get up."

"Mmm… sucha niiiiisedream…." Her eyes fluttered slightly, opening briefly and closing again. I chuckled softly to myself, wanting nothing more than to kiss her cheek, but I refrained, instead opting to make her wake up- her dignity was at stake.

"Zelda, please, wake up. You should be going back to your rooms. Do you think your maids are back?"

"Wha?" she replied sleepily, blearily blinking her eyes and staring around. "Liiink? D'I falasleep?"

"Yes, Zelda, you fell asleep. We'll probably be leaving in an hour. Go on, get back to your room and clean yourself up."

"Goddesses." Zelda was now fully awake, sitting up and putting a hand to her head. "An hour? I slept the whole night through! Oh, Link, I hope you don't mind…"

"No," I replied, smiling crookedly at her. "Not at all. What are friends for, right?"

"Are you sure?" Zelda nervously bit her lip, looking around my room cautiously. "Really, I didn't mean to intrude…"

"I don't mind," I replied, stretching and grinning. "Go on. Get back to your room. Go!"

"I'm going, I'm going," Zelda replied, flinging the glamour on like a protective cloak. It swirled around her, part of her, and then settled into place. "I'll see you in a bit, Link. Thank you for tolerating me."

"Not a problem," I replied, rolling a shoulder. "Now go! I don't want you getting in trouble."

Zelda hesitated for a moment, and then nodded, slipping out of my room. The moment the door closed behind her, I exhaled- as she'd left, so had something beautiful and magical and powerful in the room. Now it was just walls and a ceiling and some beds- dull. Zelda was what brought it to life.

Wearied suddenly from my on-and-off vigil of Zelda's sleeping form, I cleaned myself up as best I could, changed my clothes, grabbed my bags, and went down to have a bite of breakfast before I left. Many of the nights were already down there, blinking sleepily, some clutching their heads, celebrating their hangovers. I smirked at my potatoes, and idly wondered where Zelda was. Perhaps she'd already eaten. Perhaps she'd been discovered.

I prayed for the former.

By the time I left, the sky was turning pink. I quickened my pace slightly- went up to my room and looked around it, bidding it goodbye for another three months, and then hurried down to the stables to saddle up Epona and ready her for the long trip ahead of us.

We left not long after I'd finished tacking up my beloved red mare, setting out on a sleep-deprived trot down the one road leading from the manor deep into the woods. All day we rode, stopping only once it was too dark to continue on to make camp and eat dinner. Each of us fell into sleep instantly, exhausted, but glad to be out of the forest and on our way home. Zelda and I didn't speak that night.

We set out early and arrived at the palace late evening the next day. Wearied from our long ride, we knights trudged up the palace steps, glad to be home. Zelda, however, slipped quietly in the other direction after whispering a word to her father. The king's eyes found mine as Zelda hastened away, and he nodded- I was to follow her. Silently, I obeyed, appearing to stealthily follow the princess until we were out of sight of the king and his knights. Then, I caught up with her, striding easily along at her side.

"So where are we going?" I asked her amicably. She didn't look at me as she answered, almost as though she feared my reaction.

"The Temple of Time," she told me. "We look like peasants, so only one guard is necessary, That's why I was allowed to slip away."

Her words stung me, though I wasn't entirely sure why. Guard? Was that all I was to her now that we'd returned? Or was she still embarrassed over falling asleep in my room the other night? Either way, it was quite obvious she'd rather not have anything to do with me.

My heart dashed itself upon the rocks of bitter disappointment, shattering into a thousand pieces.

"I didn't dare ask my father to let you accompany me- I told him to choose a knight as his own discretion to follow me. I knew it would be you anyway."

"And why didn't you dare ask your father for my company?" I asked, my voice icy acid. Zelda stopped in her tracks, snapping her head around to face me.

"Because," she replied softly, sharply, "he needs time to adjust to the idea of me ma- making myself often in your company."

"Your father holds me in the highest esteem," I stated, still hurt, too wrapped up within my own emotions to catch her slip.

"As an advisor and friend, Link," Zelda stated, exasperated. "The king is often with his knights, thus, it is not so strange for him to seek out their friendship. A princess, on the other hand…" as we'd walked, we'd cut through the village to the Temple of Time, and we now stood before its doors. Zelda trailed her sentence off with a sigh, closing her eyes and looking very weary indeed. At long last she opened them, communicating all the things she wanted to say to me through those beautiful blue pools. We stayed like that for what felt like forever- the doors to the temple opened after a moment, though, snapping our bond. A mother was leading her little daughter into the holy building, "to pray for Daddy,"

I stood back so that Zelda could enter the temple before me, watching with pondering silence as she swept up to the altar to pray,. Even in her coarse riding dress, there was something majestic about her, something that I couldn't place but knew came from within.

Shaking my head, I followed Zelda, down the aisle to the altar, where people collected to pray. I lent next to her on the padded surface where visitors to the temple knelt- on Zelda's other side was the little girl and her mother.

I clasped my hands together and began to pray to each of the Goddesses in turn- to Din, to make me stronger for the king and for Zelda, to Nayru to make me wise and lawful and disciplined, and to help me choose the right path, especially with Zelda, and I prayed most expressly and particularly to my patron goddess, Farore. For a long time I sent my restless pleas up to her, my patroness- to help me, help me please, my life was so uncertain, and especially to help Zelda, that I would gladly endure any misery for her so long that she was happy…

A rustle of skirts next to me alerted me that Zelda had stood. I opened my eyes briefly, taking a peek- she had moved to speak with the robed elder who stood in a corner. She spoke with him briefly and he nodded, producing a long, shimmering blue candle for Zelda.

Ah. So Nayru was Zelda's patroness. I would have suspected the strong, defiant Din, but somehow, the mother of order and knowledge was strangely fitting for a princess, and even more so for Zelda.

I returned to my prayers, but every fiber of my being was closely attuned to Zelda and her movements, despite the fact that she was all the way on the other side of the temple and my eyes were closed.

I heard the footsteps of the little girl trailing Zelda- Zelda turned. Her smile shone through her words as she said gently, "careful with that candle, little one."

"I am," responded the little girl. "This candle is for my daddy."

"A candle to Din for your father?" Zelda repeated, questioning. "It must be very important."

"Yes," responded the little girl. "He works for the king. He goes out and talks to the desert ladies for him."

"Your daddy is a very important man," Zelda replied simply.

"Who is your candle for?" The little girl asked Zelda. I felt myself tense, waiting for her answer.

"It's for my mother," Zelda replied gently, though her voice held no tone of sadness. "And for my… guidance."

"Is your mommy sick?" the little girl asked with the typical curiosity of small children.

"No," Zelda replied. "She died a long time ago. No, you don't need to apologize," she cut the little girl off, "you didn't know. And it happened so long ago that it doesn't make me too sad anymore. I just hope that she's happy, wherever she is."

"I hope so, too." The two were silent, and I continued with my steady stream of prayer- and then the little girl asked a question that knocked all of my requests out of my mind.

"Are you and that man going to get married?"

"I don't know." There was a sad smile in her voice that took me totally by surprise. "Maybe someday, if we're very, very lucky. Why do you ask?"

"You two are sparkly together. Like you belong. Sort of like, like…"

I peeked open one eye and looked at the girl, who couldn't possibly have been much older than five or six. A frown was on her little face as she thought. "Mama tells me stories sometimes about the Kokiri children, and how the children aren't complete without their fairies. It's like that with you. Sparkly. Like he's your fairy, or you're his."

"I see," came Zelda's thoughtful reply. I was too rattled by the brief commentary to continue my long and complex string of intricate prayers. Instead, I was reduced to a single mantra to my Goddess: please, please, please. Please what, I wasn't sure.

At long last, deciding I'd begged enough for one night, I stood and walked across the room to where Zelda was sitting on a wooden pew in front of a statue- I marveled that I'd been able to hear her, as she was much further away than I'd originally thought. The little girl, I noticed, had curled up in Zelda's lap, resting her head on Zelda's chest, fast asleep. There were two candles burning low in the hands of one of the many sage figures scattered throughout the temple. I sat down next to Zelda on the pew, smiling at her, all earlier pain and animosity forgotten.

"She likes you."

"Sweet kid," Zelda replied, eyes tinder as she looked down at the sleeping form of the little girl. Her hair, long and dark, hung in little mats around her dirty, pale face. I looked over at her mother, who was still praying, an expression of tense desperation on her face.

"Poor woman," Zelda said softly. "Her husband is one of the couriers from the desert to here."

"How sad," I replied, knowing well the tensions between the Gerudos and the king, and the rumors of war, despite a tentative and tense alliance.

"I wouldn't wish the loss of a parent on anyone," Zelda stated quietly, looking down. Sympathetically, I took her hand, interlacing her fingers with mine and giving her a comforting squeeze.

We sat like that for a while, holding hands, Zelda's other arm wrapped around the little girl. Her eyes were filled with bittersweet tenderness as she gazed down at the little sleeping form. It struck me that Zelda would be a good mother someday, a good wife. A good queen.

She was so many wonderful things that I could never hope to attain for myself. She'd told the little girl that "maybe someday" Zelda and I would wed, but that was most likely appeasement, to avoid the ever-impending "why not?" But still, I couldn't help but wonder what if? And slowly, my mind drifted off as I sat there with Zelda…

The little girl's mother hurried over, snapping my dream. "I'm so sorry," she worried. "Oh, I hope she hasn't imposed…"

"Not at all," Zelda replied with a little smile, carefully repositioning the little girl. I watched a jumble of arms and lolling limbs in an amazement as the girl's mother carefully hoisted her daughter off of Zelda's lap, hardly disturbing the child. My princess smiled at the woman as her daughter settled her head comfortably on her mother's shoulder. "What's her name?"

"Ancia," the woman replied with a little smile. "I'm Elenra."

"She told me your husband is a courier," Zelda said quietly. "Do you live in the palace?"

"No," Elenra replied. "Maddon- my husband- is there infrequently. We have a small house not far from there, though. Why do you ask?"

"I'll walk you there," Zelda replied evasively. The four of us set out down the aisle and out of the temple, in the general direction of the palace. It was completely dark outside by this time- night had fully fallen.

"What took you to the temple so late?" Elenra asked us curiously, eyeing up Zelda's coarse riding gown and my own grubby trousers. Zelda cleared her throat, but I beat her to the response. After all, I'd spoken no words since meeting Elenra, and didn't feel like being utterly left out.

"We've just returned from a time away from town and felt it necessary to pay homage to the Goddesses for allowing us our safe return. And yourself?"

"I work for the village tailor from dawn to dusk. After I've finished for the day, I come to pray for my husband."

We reached a modest, ramshackle little wooden home, whose roof and walls had been lovingly patched many times over. It was obvious that there was a happy family there, though- a child's dolly sat in the window, and the garden was carefully tended. I didn't miss Zelda's look of yearning as Elenra started down the short path, Ancia still fast asleep on her mother's shoulder.

"I'm afraid I didn't get your names," Elenra said as she deftly opened the front door with one hand, her other balancing Ancia. I looked to Zelda, who seemed to be thinking- afraid. Finally, she nodded, taking a deep breath.

Tentatively, she spoke. "My name is Zelda," she told Elenra simply. "This is my companion, Link."

The woman's eyes widened in shock and recognition. "Your… your highness! I'm so, so sorry, I didn't know, I…." she dropped a fumbling, lopsided curtsey, clutching to Ancia as though Zelda might seize away her daughter. Smiling softly, sadly, Zelda held up one hand.

"Please, Elenra. Just Zelda."

"Yes, your… yes, Zelda." She still looked utterly afraid, like a deer facing its doom.

"Might I call upon you and Ancia sometime?" Zelda asked hopefully. Elenra nodded in wide-eyed shock, though she took a step back.

"P… please," she fumbled. "Consider my home your home. Would you like something now? Could I fetch you a drink, something to eat, would you like to sit down, milady?"

"No thank you," Zelda declined politely. "I'm afraid I've got to get back. I'll be missed if I'm away much longer. Thank you for letting me spend time with Ancia, though. Good night, Elenra. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Goodnight, your majes… Zelda."

We turned and left the still-stunned Elenra behind, trekking to the palace. Zelda, I noticed, had taken an almost painful grip on my hand, and that night after dinner when she came to my little room in the soldiers' quarters, she clung to me, bursting out into tears. I didn't question this, only comforted her as best I could. At long last, her tears subsided, though she remained clutching to my tunic.

"I reacted much the same," I reassured her quietly. "They're afraid of the crown on your head. Soon enough, know, they'll know to look past it and understand who Zelda really is."

"Curse my stupid crown," Zelda mumbled into my shoulder. "It will be the death of me."

I understood immediately that there was more to Zelda's upset feelings than just Elenra's initial response. "Suitors again?"

"Suitors, and maids, and everybody."

"What happened?" I asked her as she sat back from me, biting her lip, red-rimmed eyes downcast. As she sat there and collected herself, I tenderly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers trailing almost imperceptibly down her neck to rest on her shoulder.

"I've just gotten back, but already I've been called upon three times this night. I finally wound up padlocking my door and scaling the roof from my balcony."

"You could fall and kill yourself!" I stated, aghast. Zelda shook her head, still looking down.

"I'd catch myself. Adrenaline. Magic. I wouldn't do it if I was in any danger, Link."

"Mm. So they kept bothering you?"

"Yes. I wish they'd just leave me alone, Link. The only ones who care about me for me are you and Impa and my father, and even Impa and my father wouldn't care so much if they hadn't been stuck with me in the first place. If I wasn't the princess, you'd still be my friend, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would," I comforted her. And it was true- the woman who had grown so dear to me was not the princess, but Zelda. Even if she were poor, even if she were missing all her teeth, even if she were a prostitute or even a Gerudo, she would still be Zelda and that would be enough for me.

But that wasn't the problem at hand. The fact that she was a princess was.

"I mean, what can I do, Link? How can I discourage them?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "Best not worry about it more than you have to, hmm? Meet it as it comes."

"Yes," she replied quietly. "Yes, you're right."

Zelda entwined her fingers within my free hand, looking together at our joined digits on my simple quilted bedspread. Blearily, she smiled at me. "Thank you, Link. I owe you my sanity."

"Anything for a friend," I replied, applying a light pressure to her shoulder with the hand that still sat there.

A sudden knock at the door sent Zelda reeling back, the glamour bubbling suddenly over her skin.

"Who is it?" I called warily.

"Don't tell me that you've forgotten about me so easily," called a deep baritone. I smiled at Zelda, relieved.

"Esten," I said to her quietly. "My best friend. He'll be good to you. Come in," I added, louder. The door swung open and Esten stepped in, closing it behind him with his foot.

"Nice to know you ditched me for some girl," he stated, grinning, dark blue eyes sparkling. "Who is this?"

"You tell me," Zelda said, letting her glamour slide off. Esten eyed her, unimpressed, and then turned to me.

"Well I'd heard talk that you were busy at the manor, but not this busy. Greetings, highness."

"Zelda," the princess corrected him, amused. Esten bowed low, then straightened up and smiled that even little triangular smile of his that made most prey to his irresistible charm. I, however, had developed immunity to it, after having it exploited on me one too many times. The great thing about Esten, I thought, was that he could be serious or completely obnoxious in turn, most often opting for the one that would cause the most chaos.

Esten was most definitely a creature of chaos.

"So, Zelda. Any particular reason you've singled out my worthless buddy Link here to be your pal?"

Zelda shrugged one shoulder, unperturbed. "Any reason I shouldn't choose my friends at my own discretion, regardless of other's ideas of their worth?"

"Touché," Esten stated, bowing low once again. "I shall remember not to come unarmed to a battle of wits with you again." He then turned to me, smiling. "And we shan't engage you at all, Link, as you haven't the slightest bit of wit about you any way."

"Nice to know you missed me," I stated gruffly, glad nevertheless to see my dear friend. "Where were you during dinner? I didn't see you anywhere."

"I was with Damleda and Rowan."

"A boy, then?"

"Yes, Link, a strapping young boy. He's going to be tall, too. Taller than either of us."

"When?"

"Two weeks ago," Esten replied, his big smile revealing his joy. "Damleda and I are both incredibly pleased."

"Congratulations to you both," I stated, standing and clapping Esten on the shoulder. "When can I come visit?"

"Tomorrow morning, if you'd like. You're invited as well, Zelda. I'm sure Damleda would be pleased to have you."

There was an expression of utter awe on Zelda's face- she was obviously floored by this easy and unquestioning acceptance.

"Don't worry," Esten continued. "I won't tell anyone that I've seen you here. Might I ask what brings you to these humble chambers at this particular hour of the night anyway?"

"You're free to ask, but that doesn't mean you'll receive an answer," Zelda replied, grinning. "I give you permission to tell him, Link, but only once I'm out of the room. I have to save face."

"The way I see it, you being friends with a commoner like Link only adds to your face value," Esten told her. "It shows you're not some snotty and superficial upper-crust brat, and can appreciate the worth of a person- a real person."

Zelda ducked her head, pleased at the unexpected compliment. I grinned at Esten, thrilled with his actions. Somehow, in that Esten way of his, he'd know exactly what the miserable princess needed and had provided it with her instantaneously. For, after all, it was still obvious Zelda had been upset- her eyes were still rimmed red.

"I've got to get back to my chambers," Zelda stated suddenly, standing with an unconscious elegance and grace that I often silently admired. "I rise early in the morning and need my sleep. Good night, Link. It was a pleasure to meet you, Esten. We'll see what we can do tomorrow."

The glamour slipped over Zelda and she left the room again disguised as the familiar Cyssa, curtsying with a grin as she left. As the door shut behind her, I turned to Esten.

"It's not what you think," I told him quickly. He quirked one eyebrow at me, smirking, and sat down next to me on my bed, occupying the place that had been Zelda's.

"It's not love, you mean? Because that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It's quite obvious that you two love one another. I hope you aren't so obvious in public."

I flushed, flabbergasted. "I… but I don't…. we…."

"Whatever you say," Esten stated, waving it away. "So I want to know everything about your trip. Spare me no details."

And from there I told him everything, every last incident and feeling and unsaid message that had passed between Zelda and myself. I talked late into the night, and when I at last finished, the two of us conversed a while on the many aspects of Zelda's multi-faceted personality. It was the middle of the night when Esten finally said goodnight and left, saying that Damleda expected him long ago. After he left, I stripped down and crawled into my narrow bed, pulling the blanket over me, both gladdened and saddened to be, at last, home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Early the next morning, I rose with the sun and stumbled sleepily from my tiny room in the upper barracks, rubbing my eyes as I walked. Though I'd been gone for a month, every stone underneath my feet was familiar to me as I exited the individual barracks of the king's century, past the less-luxurious double bunkers of the shining seven hundred, and after that past the long building that served as the barracks for the general soldiers on duty. As I hopped down the well-worn path, I stopped and turned, inhaling the scent of cooking smoke and looking around the corner of the courtyard that we warriors called home, referred to by many as the soldier's village. It hugged one of the large stone walls that made up the inner perimeter of the castle's defenses, sharing space with the statelier courtyard of the palace itself. Outside the walls that housed the army was another wall, the outer perimeter, which encased castle town, a thick wall with a mote on the outside, with only one drawbridge and multiple portcullises. The castle was safe.

Snorting a puff of white breath out my nose in the mildly chilly morning air, I turned, my worn leather boots crunching quietly on the path, and I continued making my way down to the large cluster of huts that made up the homes of the married warriors who chose to stay in the soldiers' village. In no time at all I was hopping down the pathway to Esten's home, knocking on the modest wooden door.

"Come in," I heard Damleda call, and I entered, pushing open the door to be greeted by the cozy sight within.

Damleda stood from the table, her long tresses swinging as she beamed brilliantly at me. "Link!" she cried. "I was worried you wouldn't come to visit me."

"Nonsense," I replied, grinning as she briefly embraced me. "I had errands to run last night, as I'm sure Esten told you. Er… where is he?"

"I'm in here," Esten called from the bedroom. "I'll be out in a minute. I'm wrapping up Rowan."

"Congratulations, by the way," I stated, turning back to Damleda and beaming fondly at her. She was as much sister to me as Esten was brother- they were my family. "You must be happy."

"He's a joy," Damleda gushed, eyes starry. "He'll accomplish great things one day, I'm certain. He'll probably be a knight, just like his father."

"The Royal Army will be in good hands indeed if he has half his father's battle prowess," I assured Damleda. "How many times have you saved the kingdom, Esten?"

"Forty two, and we're still tied if you didn't accomplish any amazing feats down in the woods," Esten said, coming out of the little bedroom, a bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Saved the life of the princess, believe it or not," I replied nonchalantly. "Nearly broke my neck in the process."

"Really?" Damleda asked, moving to take her son from Esten, smiling down at the little face in the bundle. "The princess?"

"Our horses were startled by two deer that rushed through," I explained. "Her horse bolted and I managed to calm Epona down enough to chase her. She fell down a ravine, I followed, and we got out by nightfall."

"Goodness! I hope you were both alright…"

"A few sprains, nothing major. I don't suppose you're going to introduce me to your son?" The change of topic was unintentional- nothing more needed to be said.

"Of course we are," Esten chuckled, sitting down at the table and beckoning to his wife, who came to take their son. "Rather, Damleda is. Leda?"

"He's hungry," she stated absent-mindedly, and then gingerly made her way over the rush floor to me, little Rowan cradled securely in her arms. "Here, Link. I'd like you to meet someone very important. This is Rowan, and Rowan, this is Uncle Link. Would you like to say hello?" Her voice was tender as she spoke with her child, and then, carefully, she held him out to me. "Here. You hold him."

"Um, okay," I stated, blinking in surprise and taking the tiny infant into my arms. "Let's see, Rowan. Are you as scruffy and ugly as your dad?"

"I'm flattered," Esten responded around a mouthful of eggs, but I didn't bother looking up at him- my eyes were too full of the child.

Rowan was a tiny little thing, though I assumed he was a little big for his age. The lightest bit of dark, curly fluff grew atop his head- ink black, like his mother's. He had his father's dark blue eyes, and his skin was the pale pink of the newly born. His little face was round and merry, smiling gleefully up at me. He gave a happy cry, squirming his little arms below the blanket he was bundled up in.

"You're wrapped up all nice and comfy now aren't you?" I asked him, unable to restrain a broad grin. "I bet that even if your Mom or Dad takes you outside, you'll still be nice and warm. It's chilly out there," I added, and then looked up at Esten and Damleda, both of whom were beaming.

"Sweet kid," I told them, walking to the table and sitting down at one of the little wooden chairs there, resting Rowan on my hip. "Looks like he's in luck- he's not cursed with many of his father's features."

"That may change, though," Esten said, eyes on Damleda as she bustled about preparing a breakfast. "He's going to be every bit as handsome as I am."

"And you are handsome, dear," Damleda replied absently, stopping by Esten and kissing him squarely on the cheek. "Even if our wonderful friend Link is a bit sarcastic about it."

"Sarcastic? Me? Never," I replied, faking offense. "Oh, shame. Looks like Rowan's got your smile, Esten. What a pity. Seems he's doomed to carelessly charm girls for life." Esten beamed at this, exposing his pearly white teeth. I looked from my friend for a moment to Damleda as she bustled around the small kitchen- her long, dark hair coiled elegantly down her back, the front half of it twisted up to stay out of her face as she went about her day's work. Her skin was pale from a life working as a ladies' maid, her dark and sparkly eyes alight with life. She looked much like a fey- her lithe form had taken almost no damage from the strains of childbirth, and her dark, mischievous eyes were only brighter with the addition of her son to her family. It was difficult for me to believe that this kind, loving, gentle and respectful woman was the direct descendant of a malevolent Gerudo queen- she was all but Gerudo in her looks, and her heat.

A quick, soft knock resounded at the door. "Come in," Damleda called merrily, still bustling around by the stove. Apparently, unannounced visitors at insanely early hours of the morning didn't faze her in the least, as proven by myself.

Cyssa the maid stepped in, nose and cheeks lightly pink from the chilly morning air. She shut the door quickly behind her and smiled around.

"You did invite me," she stated to Esten, who was idly examining his fingernails.

"That I did," Esten replied. "I figured you'd come. Damleda, make extras if you will…"

"What am I, your slave?" she asked her husband, walking over to whack him gently on the head with the back side of her spatula. "Who is this? A maid? I don't believe I've seen your face before…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about the glamour."

Cysssa sparkled briefly for a moment, and suddenly a very awake and mildly chilly looking Zelda was standing in her place. She beamed around at us all, and then took a seat at the table.

"Damlea, this is Zelda. Zelda, my wife, Damleda."

"Pleased to meet you," Damleda said, smiling at the princess over her shoulder. "Make yourself at home. Link, introduce Zelda to Rowan, will you?"

Was I the only one surprised by this? The princess had just walked in, and Leda had treated it like a normal situation. Then again, she had been a lady's maid for a long time, and knew what she was doing- probably. "Er, right." I looked down at the still-beaming Rowan in my lap, and then to Zelda. "Zelda, this is Rowan, who is my honorary nephew, or maybe my godson, or both, I'm not sure. Rowan, I'd like you to meet Zelda. She's a little crazy, but overall not too bad, especially considering that her maids chase her around with gemstone, pearl, and lace whips."

Zelda grinned at this, scooting her chair closer to mine to look down at little Rowan and his smiling face- and, of course, went to pieces immediately, like any good female.

"Oh, what an adorable little boy!" she exclaimed, looking down at him with tender eyes. "How old is he?"

"Two weeks," Esten replied from the other side of the table, grinning at Zelda and myself, eyes sparkling mischeviously. I gulped- I'd be hearing about this later, which could easily be either very good or very, very bad, or possibly both at the same time. "Two weeks and three days."

"He's precious," Zelda cooed, reaching a hand across my legs to stoke his little hair.

"Would you like to hold him?" I asked her, carefully dislodging Rowan from my lap.

"Oh, could I…?" Zelda's eyes were starry. Damleda laughed and Esten smiled, nodding.

"Of course," my friend said, smiling amicably at the two of us as I carefully passed Rowan to Zelda. I was reminded of the tangle of arms the night before as Zelda passed Ancia to her mother, Elenra, and how badly that encounter had turned out- today, though, was looking as though it would be much better.

Tenderly, Zelda took Rowan into her arms, cooing lightly as she rocked the child back and forth. I watched, transfixed- the love in her eyes astounded me as she looked down at the child that was not her own. Watching her, I felt my heart melt.

In that brief, fleeting instant, the last of my resolve vanished, and I was wholly, desperately, terribly head-over-heels in love with Zelda. Worst of all, however, was the fact that there was nothing I could do about it.

&-

Days meshed into weeks. Each morning, I went to visit Esten, Damleda, and Rowan. Zelda often appeared, too, and the very day that Damlea resumed work at the palace, she was promoted to the princess' attendant, at Zelda's request.

One day when the mornings began to warm, the early sunlight found Esten and I practicing in the courtyard, exchanging blows with our practice swords and shields. There had been an enormous bustle going on in the castle all morning- there was to be a ball held that night. Neither Esten nor I had invitations, so we decided that, instead of getting underfoot, we'd fall back on our favorite past time of trying to beat one another up with swords. We'd been at it for fifteen minutes when Zelda and Damleda came along, the latter bearing little Rowan. Such visits weren't an uncommon occurance- the princess often took time off to "inspect the troops at practice, as was her right as their future queen." As usual, with a single glance, Esten and I agreed to mutual surrender, and then rushed over to greet the women in all our sweaty-knight glory.

"Damleda!" Esten greeted his wife warmly, hugging her gently, careful not to squish little Rowan, who was resting in a strong silken sash tied over her shoulder. "What brings you here? Surely you didn't feel the need for another review…"

As Damleda and Esten slipped into easy, loving conversation, I turned to Zelda with a grin. "So."

"So indeed," she replied, and we began to walk away. She didn't speak, only smiled widely in that irritating monarchial way of hers, that "I know something you don't and won't tell you unless you beg" smirk that I had come to both loathe and adore equally since making closer acquaintance with her. I suppressed a groan and submitted, knowing that she could hold a grin as long as she needed to and never spill her secret. She was very patient like that.

"Are you going to tell me what you're smirking?"

"Smirking? I'm not smirking." Said "not smirk" grew wider.

"Well you're looking awfully smug."

"Nonsense. I'm never smug."

Apparently, it was something big. I sighed, giving in. "Conniving wench. What is it you want?"

"I'm insulted!" Zelda feigned an expression of pain, pressing her hand against her heart. "So insulted, in fact, that I don't think I'll give you this formal invitation to the royal ball being held tonight."

"Whassa?" I asked, only having half command over my jaw, as it was determined to hang open. "What for?"

"Well, since you're not coming, it doesn't really matter now does it?" A taunting expression decorated her features, making me want to either walk away or kiss her in turn. But I could not kiss her. No. Bad Link. And I could never walk away. Defeated, I sighed.

"How may I make up my grevious insult to such a lovely, innocent snowflake as you?"

Zelda only grinned wider, and, taking my elbow, primly declared, "be my escort for the night."

All the muscles in my face went slack as, yet again, my maw dropped open, large enough for a bird to build a nest in. I was surprised that the chickadees hadn't already attempted to make a move on my bicuspids with their young.

"_What_?" I exclaimed in shock as I stumbled and nearly fell, would have fell, had the princess not heaved me back up on my feet, through muscle or magic I wasn't sure.

"I take it, then, that you decline?" she asked, a tinge of bitter disappointment seeping into her voice, audible to me no matter how hard she tried to mask it.

"No no no no no, not at all," I hastily clarified, shaking my head and putting my hands up in front of me, warding any stray blows. "I didn't mean that at all. I'm… shocked. An honored. And incredibly glad." My eyes met hers, a deep emotion rushing between us. "I would love deeply to accompany you to the ball."

Our eyes had locked, something raw passing unsaid

"You flatter me, Link," she mumbled, and then looked up, glancing around the courtyard behind me, then looking around over her shoulder. Apparently seeing (or not seeing, as more was probably the case) what she'd expected, she leaned up and pecked my cheek, tucking a letter into my hand with her delicate fingers. "Thank you," she whispered softly, her sweet breath brushing sensuously across my cheek, and then she flounced away, calling Damleda's name and not looking back at the stunned knight she'd left behind.

I stood in total shock. The Princess of Hyrule had just kissed my cheek. Zelda, moreover, had just kissed my cheek. Kissed my cheek! Zelda!

I let out an exuberant whoop and ran to find Esten, turning a sloppy cartwheel on the castle's turf. The women had already gone by the time I reached him, and he was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, smiling at me.

"I'm escorting her to the ball!" I exclaimed, jumping up in front of her and spinning in a circle, landing clumsily and rolling around on the grass at his feet. "Me! Escorting Zelda! And then she kissed me! Me! Kissed my cheek! Zelda kissed me!" I scrambled up and began dancing around Esten, grinning so wide I thought my face might split in half. "Do you know what this means? Do you? Do you know what this means, Esten?"

"You may or may not be exposed to public scandal as secret lovers and shunned if you continue yelling like that, not to mention you'll need a tailor to fix up something presentable for you since tthe princess spilled wine on your nicest doublet at the last ball, and... oh, for goodness sakes, Link, I can't continue being all calm and sarcastic like that when you're jumping up and down like, like... like a tektite."

I stopped mid-whirl and looked at him. "Do I really look like a tektite?"

"With the exception of having too few legs, not enough eyes, and not a bizarre color, yes. You look exactly like a tektite."

I lowered my arms and looked at him, watching him look passively at me. As something occurred to me, my eyes widened as I had the awful feeling of my stomach dropping out of my body.

"Esten..."

"Yes, Link? No need to look like someone died now. Looking like a tektite is better than looking like a dodongo... I think."

"What will the king think?" Before my legs refused to support me any more, I sat down on the grass and stared blankly across the courtyard a few feet to the left of an archway through which the other troops could be heard practicing.

"The king will approve. He likes you, Link. He thinks of you like a son."

"But does he like me enough to trust me with his daughter's heart is the question."

Esten sat down next to me, propping his arms up on his knees and looking at me seriously.

"Link, the only one who can entrust Zelda's heart to anyone is Zelda herself. It's not the king's heart to give, thus he must be content trusting both of you with your own decisions. He agreed to give Zelda a hundred days to find a man that would make her happy. Even if the man wound up being Ganondorf Dragmire-" we both shuddered at thoughts of the sniveling Gerudo prince- "if it fell within the hundred day mark, he would have to content himself. He knew what he was getting in to, and he likes you. You don't need to worry, Link. Everything will be fine."

"I hope so," I replied, and then flopped completely back on the grass, staring up at the sky. "Esten?"

"Yeah?"

"What am I going to wear?"

He chuckled, and pulled out a sheet of paper covered in Damleda's writing. "The princess will be wearing green. I suggest you dress to match."

I groaned, rolling over. "Esten, this love business is stressful."

"But worth it in the end," he replied seriously, standing up. "Come on. Let's get you to the tailor."

&-

"I'm going to die," I squeaked. This was worse than facing some horrible monster, worse than watching four thousand strong crest the hill and begin their charge, worse than all the horrors of combat and blood and battle. I was going to escort the princess- the princess!- to a ball. Formally. I'd rather be facing an angry dragon than the prospect of this. It would be a trial beyond trials, testing body and soul. And I knew without a doubt that I would fail, and my bloodied battered remains would fall to the floor, and all the courtiers would look at me and laugh, saying, "that silly Link boy thought he could love a princess"...

"Breathe, Link," Esten cautioned me. "You're turning blue."

I was nervous- how could I not be? Esten had insisted that I look good, and even the snooty maid that Zelda had sent over to oversee my transformation hadn't seemed disappointed. But I just knew that I was going to embarrass Zelda in some way- return her favor of spilling wine all over me or something, and then she'd never forgive me ever again. I was doomed.

"Doomed," I echoed my mind. "Esten, what if I screw up? What if I humiliate us both in some awful way and she never forgives me?"

"You've been to plenty of balls before, Link," Esten said soothingly. "What's going to make this one any different?"

"I'm formally accompanying the princess!"

"Link, you're going to be walking her in, dancing with her once, maybe twice if you're feeling bold, and then you two will walk around, socialize, and the ball will end. It's nothing that you weren't going to do anyway- things are just slightly more formal this way."

"I'm going to die," I repeated.

"No you're not. Look, here she comes."

We were standing outside a back entrance to the main hall: I was fidgeting and pacing, and Esten weas leaning calmly against the wall with his arms crossed across his chest. Zelda and I had agreed upon this as our meeting place, so as to walk through the main hall and into the ballroom formally together. I wanted to dissolve into the stones, but Esten's surprised and pleased look over my shoulder made me turn and look at Zelda.

She was truly stunning in a gown of emerald silk, so shimmeringly dark that it was almost black. Sheer silver-embroidered panels of a lighter green extended from the imperial wasitline to graze the floor, and the bodice was embroidered in silver ivy. She wore gloves of the same dark green to match, and her hair was spun up in an eleaborate coiffure, decorated with strings of emeralds and pearls. A silver tiara and simple silver necklace complimented the outfit- from her golden head to her dark-slippered toes, she truly looked the part of a princess.

"Good, you didn't chicken out," was the first thing she said to me when she walked up, and then grinned at me, patting my cheek with her gloved hand. "You look good, Mr. Hoity-Toity-Knight."

I was speechless. My jaw worked furiously, but alas, to no avail. Damleda picked up the slack for me, though, rocking little Rowan as she talked. "Well, Esten, it looks like you've won."

"Huh?" This snapped me out of my temporary speechlessness (which seemed to be happening to me an awful lot lately) and I looked between my friend and his wife. "Won what?"

"We had a wager going on," Esten said, his penetrating gaze on his wife the whole time, who seemed immune to the dark intensity. "She said you'd cave and chicken out, and I said you'd stay. If she won, I'd cook dinner every night for a week. If I won, she'd come riding with me this weekend. Looks like you're going to be babysitting." Esten added, smiling at Rowan, who was out like a light on his mother's shoulder.

"Your support is greatly appreciated," I said sarcastically, shooting iron glares between husband and wife. Esten shrugged, Damleda only smiled, and Zelda put her hand on my arm.

"We've got to get to the ball. Let's go. Damleda, thank you for your help."

"I helped too," Esten said absently. "I took Link to the tailor."

"Thank you, Esten," Zelda replied, and then tugged. "Come _on_, Link. Let's go."

"Right, right," I said, and began to walk with her in the direction of the main hall, and thus the ballroom. "Thanks, guys."

"Good luck, Link," Damleda called to me.

"Don't do anything stupid," came Esten's cheerful addition. I heard Damleda reprimand him, and then Zelda and I were in the main hall and she was smiling at me in a way that made my heart stop.

"You three are so close," she said softly, her slippers making almost no noise on the floor as we walked amongst the last milling guests to the ballroom.

"Yeah," I replied. "I don't even really remember how Esten and I met Leda- we just kept seeing her around, I guess, until she became our friend. Esten and I met when we were recruited, though."

"Training partners?" Zelda asked me interestedly.

"Bunk buddies," I replied with a grin, and then stopped, looking at the big balroom doors in front of me. "Here goes. Zelda, are you sure you want me to escort you?"

"I wouldn't let anyone else," she replied firmly, and nodded to the servants standing in front of the doors. They pulled the towering double doors open, and we walked to the herald at the top of the small staircase. Zelda spoke to him briefly, and then nodded. He stepped forward, clearing his throat, and said loudly, "The Princess Zelda Harkinian and her escort, Sir Link."

"Hardest part is over with," Zelda mumbled to me out of the corner of her mouth as we slowly descended the small stairwell to stand with our fellow revelers. I gave a small laugh, and we began to make the rounds- Zelda greeted many different noblemen and noblewomen, and I soon lost track of who was who of what, just nodding, smiling, and bowing when necessary. After a long while, it seemed she'd greeted everybody, and I went to go get us punch as she spoke briefly with a lovely countessa who she seemed to be friends with- the woman's name was Lovina, if I remembered correctly, and she was the daughter of a southern lord, as attested by her pale brown hair and cinnamon skin.

"How can you do this all the time?" I asked her quietly when I'd returned, drinks in hand. "It's exhausting." Zelda smiled up at me, taking her punch cup and sipping from it briefly.

"How can you march steadfast into battle and swing a sword for hours on end without collapsing?" She replied lightly, beaming fondly from the countessa to myself. "I'd much rather socialize."

This earned a laugh from the countessa, who looked rather pretty in a simple but flattering raspberry velvet gown, with a teasingly modest heart-shaped bodice.

"Lovina, allow me to introduce you to my consort, Sir Link. He's one of my father's favored knights. Link, this is Countessa Lovina Dershire."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," I said, bowing over her white-gloved hand with all the pomp I had. When I straightened up, Zelda was positively beaming at me.

"Are you fond of riding, Sir Link?" the countessa asked with an indulgent smile.

"Yes, quite, though I'm often too busy to go riding."

"A shame. I enjoy riding quite a bit, but I too rarely have time. Perhaps, though, I could make time..." the countessa turned eagerly to Zelda and asked brightly, "your highness, if you can spare any time within the next week, it would be wonderful to go riding."

"I shall see what I can do," Zelda replied graciously, smiling gratuitously all the same.

The three of us slipped into easy conversation for a while, until the countessa was pulled away for a dance. I caught the hopeful glance Zelda shot me, and asked her gallantly, "would you like to dance, oh glorious princess?"

"You flatter me," she laughed, and allowed me to lead her out onto the floor for a lively gavotte. By the time we finished, she was pink-cheeked and her eyes were sparkling. Unfortunately, one of her hopeful suitors appeared just as the dance ended, and led Zelda away for a stately waltz. Shrugging my shoulders (I'd known it was going to happen anyhow) I went to sit in a corner for a while and observe, as was my hobby.

Zelda was passed from partner to partner for several more hours, taking infrequent breaks for punch, always smiling at me when she did, only to be led away by some other hopeful young man. At last, though, the stream of those vying for her attention thinned, and finally died. She came and sat down to me, attempting to cool herself with a black lace fan, a fine sheen of sweat just barely visible on her glowing skin. Her cheeks were pink, and her chest rose and sank rapidly as she gasped for breath.

"I could use some fresh air. Escort me to the garden?" she asked me, and, hardly waiting, she stood and walked from the room.

By now, the majority of the party was too inebriated to note our less than proper departure, as the hour was drawing late and the punch bowls were never empty. We stepped out into the crisp, cool courtyard and walked along, the grass crunching quietly under our feet.

"Here, this way," Zelda said to me softly, slipping her small hand into my own and leading me through what seemed to be a maze of shrubs and flowers and statues. Though I could probably have navigated this treacherous eden during the day, during night it was a land strange and alien to me. Her little hand pulled me through twisting path after path, around corner after corner. Finally, she slowed as we reached our destination.

"This is my corner," she told me, looking around in satisfaction. Before us was a single concrete bench, surrounded with rose bushes and rosemary plants. She turned to me, smiling nervously. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," I told her, though my eyes were fixated more on her face. As though the moon was enacting a strange sort of gravity on use, Zelda and I were drawn to one another, winding our arms around each other, sighing as our bodies made sweet, comforting contact. She rested her ear against my chest; I leaned my cheek against her brow. We stood there for what felt like a long time in utter contentment, until at last she pulled away, slipping her hand down and twining her fingers with mine.

"Perhaps we should go back in," she said softly, and rejection stung at my chest. As though what she'd just said hit her, she closed her eyes, shaking her head, and smilied sillily. "I didn't mean that, I meant I don't want us to be missed."

"Let's stay out a little longer," I said, smiling down at her and squeezing her fingers with mine as I studied her pertty face, which seemed to glow in the gentle moonlight. She nodded her agreement, blushing a little at my hungry gaze, but did not look away as I drank in the beautiful sight of her. As I gazed upon her, I thought of how she'd looked when she'd first sat down next to me at the campfire so long ago, and then how she'd looked when I told her I'd teach her archery... her bruised and disheveled appearance after we'd tumbled down into the ravine, her smirk when she'd first snuck into my room as Cyssa, the tears in her eyes whenever she confessed all her fear to me, her resigned expression when we returned to the palace, pain in her eyes after the servile rejection of Elenra, the joy when Esten and Amia had readily accepted her into their home...

I'd seen so many different sides of her, proud and strong and fierce and passionate, or cold, upset, angry, or friendly and happy and caring- and they were all beautiful. She was always beautiful, I thought, my heart swelling. Even when she was ready to beat the fire out of me.

"Zelda," I said, speaking aloud my thoughts, "you have to be the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes upon. You're such a wonderful, unique person- I wouldn't give away any of the times we've shared for all the money in the world."

"Even the time I nearly shot you in the foot?" she asked, a little abashed with a nervous smile on her face. Laughing, I lightly cupped the side of her face with my free hand.

"Especially the time you nearly shot me in the foot." We both snickered a little at the memory of me hopping around one-footed in panic, thinking I'd lost my toes, only to have Zelda whacking me over the head with the bow restore me to my normal mind. Even as our laughter died, we remained smiling, and our lips came together, closer and closer. Zelda's dark lashes dropped to touch her cheek as our lips met, and something within my soul burst with joy. Zelda tightened her grip on my hand, and then let go, bringing her arms to rest around my neck. I grasped her by the waist as I parted my lips, seeking entrance to her mouth. Eagerly, she complied, and I felt her gasp with pleasure, pulling herself closer. Passionately, our mouths warred, consuming, and then after a long moment, I pulled away as a thought occurred to me and something heavy in my chest dropped.

"Zelda," I whispered against her skin, shaking, "I'm sorry. I can't do this to you."

"Why not?" She was shaking too, her hands roaming wantonly across my back. My mind began to wander, but I forced it back to present with an unhappy lurch.

"You're a princess. I'm a peasant-knight. I have nothing to recommend myself to you except my blade, heart, and mind. I have no money or power to my name, and only my title to hide behind. Though that may be enough for you, that isn't enough for your people. What'll happen to us when your father forces you to marry some foreign dignitary?"

"It will be fine, Link," Zelda reassured me, looking into my eyes with sympathy. "I promise you. You know me: have I yet proven myself to be a thoughtless creature?"

"No," I replied, carressing her cheek with my thumb. "You've proven to be anything but."

"Then trust me. We will be fine." She stood on her toes, kissing my lips softly again, and grabbed my hand, smiling.

"We'd better go back now," she told me, kissing my fingers. "Before we really are missed, or before I have to force you to see things my way."

"Of course," I responded, a wry smile twisting across my face. We were halfway out of Zelda's corner before she turned to me, a serious expression on her face.

"Link, if I were a peasant..."

"I'd be every bit as knightly and respectful as I am now, and I'd feel exactly the same about you."

"And you'd still look out for me and protect me like you do?"

"No matter what, Zelda, I'll be there for you- even if you are forced to marry some smelly prince from the south, or are usurped, or anything, because I care. I promise," I added, kissing her cheek gently. "I promise I'll do my best not to worry about your throne if you promise not to worry about how much I care, alright?"

"Deal," she said to me, smiling. "Now let's seal it with a kiss."

I gladly complied.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

Never in my wildest dreams had I predicted that things might so so fabulously, so _well._ When I'd bargained with my father for one hundred days, I'd planned on using it to find someone who would be a good king and draw him to me. I'd even written out a tentative list and had been about to start testing my first two victims when my father decided to go on a camping trip with his knights. Sir Link was going, and I'd always had a bizarre interest in him, a kind of unstoppable inate attraction, but had never thought much of it. Though Sir Link hadn't been on my original list, I thought, why not? Father trusts him, and maybe that's for a good reason. Though there are many times I disagree with my father's judgement and ideas, he's not a fool, nor is he easy to mislead. Often, he'd preached of Sir Link's good morals and kind, quiet, and observant disposition. This quality might be good in a king, or in a consort to a queen. So, as though he were just a pair of shoes, I decided to try Sir Link out.

I was instantly fascinated by him. From the moment I first sat down at his camptire on the ride down to the Southern Wood, something about him seemed to call to me. The way he raised his eyebrow at me as I sat down, half in skepticism, half in surprise, spoke volumes- an informal action, possibly an unconscious display of thought. I'd just surprised him.

Hoping to quell him a little, I said simply, "they're all staring at me. I don't think they like the idea of a woman sitting around the campfire with them. Or they're afraid my maids'll join me." I laughed lightly as he appeared to try to not swallow his bite whole. I'd surprised him again. I wasn't what he'd thought I'd be.

"Well don't look so surprised," I told him. "You were sitting all alone, and what sort of person would I be if I let you sit here all by yourself?"

It was the first time he'd ever spoken to me, directly, aside from the time when he'd said "its okay" when I'd spilled wine on his doublet at a party. "I don't mind being alone," he told me in a deep baritone that had me all ears instantly. "It's good time to think."

I agreed, and told him so, looking into the fire. I thought for a moment- he's so surprised that I'm not what he'd believed I was, and so blatant about it. That's not good politics. He simply will not do for kingship.

No, said a little voice inside my head. Give him another chance. You've just surprised him, that's all. Seeing Link watching my expression carefully, I smiled. "I'm glad to be gone from the palace. I get no solitude there. There's always someone around- maids, suitors, escorts, suitors, my father, suitors… it's like privacy isn't allowed."

"None of us have any," he consoled me, taking another bite. "I used to be stuck in a general barracks with all the other soldiers. It drove me insane. There was always someone around no matter what, or someone awake at three in the morning, or someone sick, or even worse, someone snoring in the bunk above you when you were trying to sleep the night before review. It was awful."

I made a little face and then laughed. He was funny, and sincere, and he was kind, just as my father had said. "I can't imagine," I replied, and I couldn't- being constantly surrounded with mass numbers of people every waking moment? I'd have gone insane. "At least I can dismiss my maids at night and have some small amount of time to myself before I collapse from exhaustion. You're Sir Link, by the way, are you not?"

I knew his name was Sir Link. I also knew he watched me.

"Yes," he replied, again startled. Apparently, he'd thought I wouldn't know his name. "And feel free to call me simply Link. Honestly, I'm surprised you remembered my name at all."

Humble. This was good. This was very good. Perhaps Link would be a good consort. And he was intriguing. At the very least, I'd get a new friend out of this little foray into the woods. Little did I know, though, that friendship would be the least of it.

There was the time I fell down the ravine, and he came and saved me. He never told me what trespassed in the canyon, though- I've never been able to remember, despite long hours spent lying awake at night, probing my memory. Whatever it was that went on, though, I have the feeling it was important- to him, at least. I want to know.

I remember when he taught me to shoot a bow and arrow, the fierce joy that accompanied the twang of the string and the swift, accurate flight of the arrow to its target, to imbed itself in wood, or sometimes even flesh. He didn't have to teach me- I'd worried quite a bit that he would have considered it a chore or obligation, but Link never once complained, or seemed anything less than content to teach me archery. It was a gift from one friend to another, an exchange of equals, and a thing for which I have been eternally grateful.

I remember the very first day he began to teach me, how he put his arms around me and guided my arrow, and I remember how it felt he'd shocked me when his leather glove had touched my bare hand, scraping sensuously over my skin as he tightened his fingers around mine. The heat of his hand beat hot againt mine, even through the thick skin of the glove, and I remember first thinking then how much bigger than me he was yet how gentle his hands were, whether with his horse, or the delicacies of a bow and arrow, or myself. It was then that I first knew that I wanted him, body and soul, and that I'd give whatever I had to, do whatever I had to to earn his love within the next three months. But not because I considered hm an object, I reminded myself, but because he was such a good person and would make a good husband, and maybe even a good king. After all, the people would love him- he was beautiful and charming, and oftentimes that's all that matters to the people that are led.

I came to him at night, sat on his bed and spoke with him about daily life, home, family, dreams. Over that month, we came to being very close friends, and more in soul, though we never once admitted it to each other. I'd spent sleepless nights thinking about him, dreaming of him, and making myself stronger and stronger with my magic, so that maybe I could prove to him someday that I was strong enough for him. I remember the awe on his face the last night when I unworked his bag from across the room, and I remember the conversation we'd had on love. I remember how he told me in that silent way of his that he loved me, or would love me some day, and I remember how my heart soared at this unconscious admission. I remember falling asleep curled in his arms, and the look of his sleepy face the next morning as he woke me up, bright blue eyes content, hair all awy. I remember wanting to kiss him more than ever then- but I held it back. I was still insecure.

I'll never forget my visit to the temple of time when we got back to the palace. Something in the trip, in coming back, had unsettled me- the realization that it wouldn't be proper for me to be around Link anymore, possibly. So I went to the temple of time- and he followed, as I had known he would. And we argued, I recall, about propriety, about father, and I nearly told him then that I'd chosen him to marry me, and that Father needed time to adjust. But I caught myself. I couldn't scare him like that. If he knew about the bargain, he might use me- though part of me screamed he'd never do that, another part of me, the cruel, cold part that distrusted everyone and everything, told me that I'd just be a mechanism for his success if I told him. So it stayed secret.

In that visit to the temple, we knelt together at the altar, much like we will do on our wedding day. I remember that he prayed there for a long time, his face peaceful, save for the tiniest crease at his brow. He was begging the goddesses for something, something that he wanted badly. I idly hoped it was me, and went to get a candle.

He remained in prayer as I dropped a coin into the basket the priest carried and received a brilliant blue candle, lit it, and knelt at a sage grotto, an adorable, grimy little girl following me. I turned, seeing her candle tipping warily, and smiled. "Careful with that candle, little one."

"I am," the little girl told me. Her eyes were remarkably blue, much like Link's. Maybe they were relatives. "This candle is for my daddy."

"A candle to Din for your father?" I repeated, questioning. "It must be very important." She set the candle down next to mine and knelt in front of it.

"Yes," she told me. "He works for the king. He goes out and talks to the desert ladies for him."

"Your daddy is a very important man." A daughter of one of the couriers to the desert- possibly the most dangerous job in Hyrule. I had a renewed respect and sympathy for the men who sacrificed their time, families, and often their lives to run messages back and forth from the desert.

"Who is your candle for?" The little girl asked me, startling me out of my thought. I groped for an answer.

"It's for my mother," I told her simply. "And for my… guidance." Guidance in matters of state, love, and most importantly, the candle was for Link, that I might earn his heart.

"Is your mommy sick?" the little girl asked me innocently. I smiled sadly at this- such a question would be hushed in court, even if it was from an unknowing little girl.

"No. She died a long time ago. No, you don't need to apologize," I added as the little girl opened her mouth to apologize, "you didn't know. And it happened so long ago that it doesn't make me too sad anymore. I just hope that she's happy, wherever she is."

"I hope so, too." She looked back at her candle, fidgeting a bit. Link was still in prayer halfway across the chapel. I sighed, looking at him. Perhaps there was something important in his life I still hadn't learned. Perhaps something to do with his being an orphan...

"Are you and that man going to get married?" the little girl asked me, following my gaze.

"I don't know," I replied truthfully. I hoped so. "Maybe someday, if we're very, very lucky. Why do you ask?"

"You two are sparkly together. Like you belong. Sort of like, like…" The little girl frowned in thought, looking around the chapel. Her eyes landed on a stained glass window of the sage of forest, a kokiri girl. "Mama tells me stories sometimes about the Kokiri children, and how the children aren't complete without their fairies. It's like that with you. Sparkly. Like he's your fairy, or you're his."

"I see," I replied thoughtfully. The little girl fidgeted for a bit, and then crawled up on the pew behind where we knelt. She beckoned for me to follow, yawning, and I complied, smiling a little as she crawled into my lap, falling asleep with her head against my breast.

I watched the candles for a long time, until at last Link returned to me. I couldn't help but think, what if this was our daughter? And I felt warmth and love flowing through me as I did. But then, the little girl's mother came to take her away, and...

I prefer not to think about it.

I recall the next morning, when I first met Esten and Damleda. They were so nice, and little Rowan was the cutest baby I'd ever seen. I remember how I felt like a family with Link again, and how I wanted it to be so with every fiber of my being, yearned for it to be so. Watching him play with Rowan, I realized what a good father Link would make. In a way, that was one of the few things I truly craved- a man who would be a good father to my children.

I remember how I still visited Link every night, and then how, several weeks later, we had the ball, and, for the first time, Link kissed me. I was so happy underneath the moon with him, I thought my heart might burst. This is what I need, I thought. This is what I need forever.

But all things beautiful and good must eventually come to an end.

&-

The days after the ball were the happiest days of my life. Stealing kisses from him during the night and playing with Damleda during the day, it was easy for me to forget the distant rumbling rumors of a far-off war with the Gerudos. Days melded into one another and became weeks, and as the second month of my bargain came to a close, I looked with hope upon the third.

Luck, however, coupled with the good grace of the Goddesses, was elsewhere.

Lord Dragmire, the Gerudo prince who had once courted me, had finally slunk away, pressured by the many trembling rumors of war, his people against mine. It seemed the warrior women of the desert did not favor the idea of a Hylian queen, and did not believe that a union between their lord and myself would produce greater crop fields for them. I had not been sad to see Dragmire go- he'd always made my hair stand on end, spiders crawling up and down my spine, but not in the way that Link did. Dragmire is one of the few people of whom I have had some strange inate fear. My father, however, was quite sad to see the desert lord go- he'd been thinking the man to be a "grand friend and powerful ally."

That was one of the times where I did not believe the widsom of Father's judgment.

Dragmire had crept into the mire and muck of those things which my mind deems unimportant, swirling and fermenting with pointless facts such as how to properly prune a bomb flower, or how to blow a glass bottle in the shape of a mushroom. I am loathe to say that I forgot about Dragmire immediately after his departure, because I certainly hadn't entirely erased his presence from my mind, but at the same time, I rarely, if ever, recalled his existance. All that, however, was doomed to change.

I was reading quietly in the courtyard, in my special little corner where Link and I had first kissed, when I began to feel hot and tired. Dizzy. Thinking I was only exhausted from the heat, I turned to Damleda, who was cooing to Rowan on the ground.

"Leda," I stated, swooning a little, "I'm not feeling so great all of a sudden. I'm going to retire for a little while."

"I'll walk you to your chambers," Damleda replied, cradling Rowan in the silken scarf stretching across her chest. I was breathing heavily by the time we topped the long set of stairs that led to my chambers, and feeling a bizarre sort of side effect. I felt repressed, like I did when I used my glamour, but moreso than I'd ever felt before...

My mind muddled over again as I opened the door. "Shall I send for a doctor?" Damleda asked, worried. I shook my head, trying to breathe.

"No," I said. "Just get me out of my corset. I only need to take a nap, I believe."

Damleda followed me in and helped me out of my gown and corset, despite the fact that it was only noon. She helped me to dress in a simple, delicate white silken nightdress, and then curtsied out of my room. "I'll tell the King you've retired for the day, due to fatigue."

"Thank you, Leda," I replied, and then locked the door after her. I wanted no interruptions in my rest.

As I lay down on my soft sheets, I felt a strange breeze come in through my open window. Funny, I thought to myself, rolling over, I hadn't opened my window...

Then, I was unconscious.

&-

When I came to, I didn't know how long it had been since I'd slept. It was dark, a pitch black that was chilling and unfamiliar to me. I was not in the castle- the freezing wind attested to that. I shivered, my scant silken nightgown doing nothing to heat my body, and wrapped my arms around my shoulders.

Sitting up, I felt the chain attached to my ankle, cold steel locked around my leg. A wave of helplessness overwhelmed me, but I pushed it away. Self-pity would not get me out of whatever it was I'd gotten into- a cell, apparently.

My eyes were adjusting to the dark. I was in a stone room, rectangular, with one window high up that looked out onto a starry sky unlike any I'd ever seen. Wind whipped around outside, I could hear- an icy wind it was, too, harsh and forbidding. In one corner of my cell there was a bucket, but that was all for furniture, save for the pathetic straw that was my only padding from the hard floor. Sighing, I leaned back against the wall and began to think. I could try and escape now, but I didn't know where I was, why I was there, or how long I'd been there. Perhaps this was even a dream! I doubted it, though, and thought to planning.

I could probably pick the lock on my shackle, I decided, using magic, though it would be immensely draining. After that, though, I'd have to try to figure out some way out of the cell, though it appeared there was no way out save for the single high-up window. Getting there would take more magic- I wouldn't be able to climb the smooth stone walls- and that would probably exhaust me back into another coma. If I waited to find out where I was, I could form a plan- unshackle myself one night, get out the next, and return to the palace through mortal means: steal a horse, stow away in a wagon, whatever it took. But until then, I would wait.

As I contemplated, the first rosy fingers of dawn crept across the sky outside my window. Not long after, a woman appeared crouching in the window, the only thing alerting me to her sudden presence the shadow she cast on the floor. Unperturbed, I looked up. Best I not let them have any more of an advantage over me than having me as prisoner. They had encarcerated my body, but I would not surrender my mind to panic so easily.

"Welcome to Gerudo Fortress, Princess Zelda," said the woman in the heavy accent of the thieves, rolling and choppy in turn. "Good to see you're finally awake."

"Thanks for the warm welcome. I assume my lodgings are only temporary, and that I'll be moved to a slightly more hospitable chamber shortly?"

The gerudo woman smiled, plump lips turning upward, and then spat down at me, on me. "Funny little witch," she said as I idly wiped the spittle off my forehead. "Behave. Lord Dragmire will be watching you from the temple. There are guards posted outside your cell as well, in case you decide to attempt an escape."

"How long do I get the luxury of your hospitality?" I asked nonchalantly, disliking the fact that I had to look up at the woman.

"As long as it takes for you to snap," the woman replied simply. "The Lord wants you for his wife, and we'll wait as long as we have to. He's in the desert temple now, asking the goddess of the sand for you. If you have not accepted by the time he returns, he will force you."

"Charming," I replied with a sarcastic smile, even as cold dread wove itself around my stomach as I thought what "forcing me" might entail. "I don't suppose he could have tried to woo me like a civilized being? Being thrown in a cell isn't really my idea of courtship."

The woman scowled, shaking a red strand out of her eyes. "Just for that," she stated simply, "no food today."

I sighed as she vanished. I could already tell that this would not be fun. I began to comb my fingers through my hair, consoling myself that if I didn't eat for long enough, the hunger pains would go away, and started braiding my golden strands, planning, repeating normal and mundane actions to keep me in my right mind. I'd stay sane, I wouldn't marry him, and I'd escape before Ganondorf got back. Everything would be fine.

Again, luck and the goddesses were not with me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven**

We found the note later that afternoon that the Algrians had captured Zelda and were holding her for ransom. While the King mobilized the army and depleted the treasury, I puzzled. Something, I thought, didn't quite fit- Algria was already rich and powerful. The prince had left the castle the previous day, true, but he'd never seemed to hold any unkind intentions towards Zelda. In fact, I mused, he'd been one of the few decent and genuine suitors, or so it had seemed. Even had the prince been unkind, I couldn't figure out how he would have singlehandedly kidnapped Zelda and spirited her away from the palace- from her _room_, no less. The Algrian prince had brought no entourage with him.

There were other possibilities, I mused. Zelda might have met him outside the palace- but that seemed improbable, and why would she willingly ransom away her country's treasury for some fun? That was so un-like-Zelda that I knew something was up, something strange, and that Algria had nothing to do with it.

And another thing, I thought: unless the prince's horse was winged or magic, neither of which I'd ever noticed, there was no way he was even halfway to Algria by now, and if he did, in fact, have the princess with him, going would have been even slower. I could catch up to him- a hard day and night of riding and I could catch up.

I didn't tell the King my thoughts or plans- he would have objected, surely. Though the king could, time to time, be wise, when it came to Zelda he was irrational and unthinking, and would only sometimes obey the advice he asked for. So I, too, wrote a note, leaving it on my bed, packed a few necessities, and crept down to the stables, saddling Epona and riding out to the north.

I rode for a day and most of the first night, but stopped around dawn to give Epona a rest, camping by a small stream. I slept, too, until noon, and then saddled up and was off again, for another day and a night, camping from late in the night to just after dawn, next to another small stream that was nearly dry from drought. Early on the third morning, however, I caught up with him, Prince Isen of Algria. He'd pitched a small camp next to a creek and was merrily roasting a sausage over the fire. He was alone, too, but still somehow had not managed to see me coming, despite the flatness of the land in all directions.

"Milord?" I called, a good deal away from the fire, so as not to startle him. "Be you Prince Isen of Algria?"

The prince looked up suddenly, and I saw why he hadn't noticed me- he'd been reading. His face split into a smile as he recognized me- we'd spoken upon several occasions, and he'd seemed to me a good man: a reader and a thinker, suited more for dwelling in pages than for leading an army.

"Knight!" The prince replied. "What a strange coincidence! What brings you here?"

He was smiling genuinely, his eyes unguarded and openly curious. He'd had nothing to do with Zelda's disappearance. With a sigh, I closed the distance between us and sat, and began to speak. His expression darkened as I explained what had happened- the disappearance, the note, the unwillingness of the king to relent. I'd talked for a quarter of an hour, stopping occasionally to have a sip of water that the prince offered me from his waterskien, and then, after I finished, he remained silent for a long while.

"No, Knight," he replied finally, gravely. "I can attest to no kidnapping of the princess by my people. I like to think our government has more sense than to make an enemy of a country as strong and rich as Hyrule. If she is at the capital, which I highly doubt, I will send her back immediately. Though, as I've stated, the chances of this are almost impossible. We're not a greedy or vicious kingdom. We have no reason to kidnap the princess."

"Can you think of why someone might have pointed to your country?" I asked, taking a bite of the sausage the prince had passed me while I told my story. Isen's dark brows furrowed as he thought.

"I suppose," he began slowly, "that you have heard rumors of war with the Gerudo?"

"Yes..." I replied, uncertain where the prince's brilliant, bookish mind might be headed.

"Algria has a wavering, tentative alliance with both your people and the people of the desert. No matter what, this war will do us grave damage."

"What are you getting at?" I asked, an unhappy, uncertain feeling coiling in my bowels.

"This uncertain, teetering position makes us for a good scapegoat, for either side," the prince replied. "Not to mention that Algria is so far removed- a fortnight's journey- that news does not travel to and from us quickly."

"So you think that one of your allies has framed you?" I asked, my stomach turning at the horrible thought.

"Perhaps, Sir Knight," the prince replied. "It may have been the people of the desert, to draw the heat of Hyrule's attentions off of them. Or," he added, eyes locking with mine, "it might have even been your own beloved Hyrule, looking for an excuse and a means to make the first strike against the Gerudo, through their ally."

"But that's counter-logical!" I exclaimed. "Why would the king hide his own daughter, sum up a ransom, and set out to attack a country in the opposite direction of the very threat they were trying to avoid?" I paled as what I'd spoken hit me.

"Algria is a fortnight's ride from Hyrule, and in the opposite direction of the desert. It would be strangely convenient for your army to be two weeks travel from the kingdom when the palace was attacked." The prince looked grim, fishing in his pocket.

I grabbed Epona's bridle, a new sense of urgency coursing through me, despite my horrible fatigue. "I ride back to Hyrule," I told the prince. "Please, Majesty, make all possible haste to Algria, to warn your father, the king. I will try to avert my lord's army to the best of my abilities."

"Take with you my signet," the Algrian prince commanded, tossing me his ring. "Give it to the king and explain- hopefully, he will believe. Waste no time on your journey- your people are in danger, as are mine, and your princess is at grave stake in the desert: the Gerudo are cruel captors."

I didn't need any further motivation. I swung onto Epona's back and galloped away, musing to myself through my urgency that perhaps the odd, bookish Algrian prince would make a good leader after all.

But more urgent was the princess, I reminded myself. And the kingdom, stopping the king from marching on Algria before it was too late.

&-

Two and a half days later, I staggered into the palace, feverish with delirium, legs buckling with exhaustion, proceeding directly to the throne room. I knew what I must have looked like- a madman in my worn attire, raggedy beard, and bloodshot eyes. Epona and I had hardly rested- I feared for my horse, but this stop at the castle would, hopefully, bring good reprieve to her. I was gladdened to know, though, that she was holding up well, rising to the challenge of urgency. And it would be necessary, too, for her to continue holding strong- it was another full day's ride to the desert.

Looking back, I can't say that I handled this particular event well, but the excuse of delirium and fear for my love and country helps to justify my insane behavior. Outside the king's audience chambers, a guard stopped me. "Sir, the king is in a meeting," he stated, eying me warily. "If you'd please-"

"I bear word on the whereabouts of the princess, and a message from the Algrian royal family." I pulled the signet from my pocket, showing the soldier. "My message is of the highest urgency. I've neither slept nor ate in two days, and have stopped only to rest my horse. I will see the king." And I pushed past the dumbfounded guard into the chambers. Definitely not the smoothest move.

The king was on his throne, leaning forward and listening intently to something one of his advisers was saying. As I barged in, they both turned to look at me with annoyance, and then shock as they recognized me behind my wild appearance.

"Sir Link..." the adviser began. I held up a hand, exhaling all I'd said to the guard.

"Milord, I bear news of the whereabouts of the princess. She was not stolen by our Algrian allies- I have the prince's signet if you don't believe me. We were set up, Algria framed by the people of the desert, who even now have the princess in their grasp. When our army has departed on its fortnight's march, the warriors of the desert will invade. Few soldiers will be here to protect the castle and the kingdom. I have no real proof of what I say save for the signet of the prince, but I believe that my words are true. Please, milord, do not march."

"Sir Link," the king replied somberly, looking at me with grave eyes, "you are weary from travel and worry. I will speak with my council about what you have said."

"Milord, if you could but march a day of slow going, and double back at night to defend the castle, you'd draw the desert women from their fortress. You'd be defending the kingdom, and someone could sneak into the fortress to retrieve the princess."

"But do you know where she is in the fortress, Link? We do not even know that she is there, never mind where she might be. The Gerudo have a kingdom within the walls of their compound, a labyrinth that you could easily become trapped in. And, moreover, there is no guarantee that the princess is there. It might be an unnecessary attack."

"The prince's signet-"

"Proves nothing," the King replied. "The prince might have been left out of the loop, or might have been acting. Your proof is uncertain, at best.

Desperation overtook me. "But what motives would Algria possibly have for this ransom? The Gerudo-"

The king had had enough of my delirious ramblings. "The Algrians are in the midst of a severe drought and desperate times! Moreover, this ransom letter stamped with the crest of the Algrian royal family is far more definite proof than some- some half-baked conspiracy theory! Link, I appreciate your concern, but didn't it occur to you that I am aware of how to run my own country, never mind that I want my daughter back desperately as well? You are already guilty of serious insubordination, Sir Link. Now quit my council chambers, before I have you forcibly removed."

Bitterness welled up within me, bitterness and unshakable fury. "As you wish, Sire," I replied quietly, bowing to the king and dropping the prince's signet on the ground. Wordlessly, I turned and left the throne room.

As I stomped to my quarters, fuming, my exhausted mind whirled. I'd never been more furious or desperate in my entire life. I couldn't say here, I thought to myself as I entered my room, kicking the door shut behind me. The king might consider me a liability, might imprison me, might make me to march in the army. But I couldn't leave- not just yet. I needed time to recuperate and so did Epona.

As I cleaned myself up, shaving and washing over the small basin, I made plans, plans to stay a full day, to rest, and then to ride to the desert. I'd go by night- when the sun came up, I'd camp at Lake Hyula with Epona, just downstream of the Spirit Flow, the river that separated Hyrule from the desert. The next night, I'd sneak into the fortress and find Zelda- by then, the king would have marched, and many of the women would have been drawn away to attack Hyrule. I'd rescue Zelda, and take her back to Epona, and then...

Then what?

We'd ride northeast, away from the march of the desert army. We'd camp near Zora's domain during the day, perhaps even in the domain- the Zora were sworn to the royal family and then the next night, I'd return Zelda to the palace, assuming...

Assuming it was still here, and that Hyrule was not lost. Otherwise, we would have to flee, leave until we gathered the power and strength to reclaim Hyrule.

Another wave of anger, fear, and disgust hit me at this thought, the palace, destroyed, seized, Castle town slaughtered...

I would need to warn Esten and Damleda.

I fell onto my bed, preparing my plan further in my mind, readying what I would say to Esten and, after a while, I fell into an exhausted sleep.

&-

The sound of insistent rapping on my door woke me the next afternoon. Sleepily, I rose from my tiny bed, checking that I was clothed before answering the door. "Yes?" I asked, peering out into the hallway. Esten stood there, looking worried and unusually haggard.

"Link? What's happened? Where did you go? We march on Algria tomorrow morning, but the king seems angry about something..."

"Come in, Esten," I yawned, opening the door wider. "I've got much I need to tell you."

&-

Later that night, I stole out of the castle with Damleda and little Rowan. Though the king might've thought me crazy, Esten knew me better than that. He and Damleda had decided that she'd better ride south, to the manor in the woods, where Esten had a few friends among the servants who would take Damleda in- "on a break" was the excuse, if it was necessary. If the palace was destroyed, however, and Hyrule was seized, then Zelda and I would join her, and begin a resistance movement. We all prayed it wouldn't come to that.

I parted with Damleda and Rowan at a crossroads, spurning Epona southwest, towards Lake Hylia. I rode long and hard through the night, but was unafraid for Epona- she'd rested well whilst we were at the palace, and was eager for action.

Such a good horse, I thought to myself fondly, patting her mane and then focusing back on the stars I was using as my guides.

The first rosy fingers of dawn were spreading across the sky as I reined Epona in, looking out at the dark, glassy, shimmering expanse of Lake Hylia. Rumor had it an ancient temple was buried far beneath the waters: I wouldn't be surprised, were it true. It would be the ideal place to camp, given the circumstances and my worry of being spotted somehow (call it paranoia), but unfortunately, taking Epona deep underwater to explore was quite out of the question. I settled with pitching a tent in the dense underbrush and leaving Epona to wander, hopefully unspotted.

I slept the day away.

I rose and washed under the cover of early dark, then stole with Epona across the beds of the noisy, tempetuous river. Around midnight, we reached a steep slope that led upward- I tethered Eopna to a tree where she waited, nearly invisible in the dark, checked the depth of the river underneath the bridge, and then began my climb.

It was a long ascent, taking up the better part of an hour as I climbed slowly, careful to keep quiet. No rock slides. Only one sleepy sentry stood at the single entrance to the fortress, and once I was up, I easily dispatched her.

Pathetic, I thought, dusting off my hands and entering the fortress. Most of the warriors were obviously gone.

Unfortunately for the fortress guards, who patrolled along the sandy dirt, I was remarkably good at the art of stealth- stay low and be patient, that was the key I'd learned in my many times sneaking out of the orphanage and then, later on, the barracks. I crept along, a silent shadow, crouching behind crates and totems when I could.

I eyed the fortress unhappily- the king had been right about a labyrinth. How was I supposed to find Zelda in such a large building? As I unhappily puzzled for a few moments, I noticed something strange. One warrior, dressed in pink pants and a matching vest, hair cut chin length, carried a small bowl towards one particularly small yet foreboding building. This building, I noticed, unlike any other part of the fortress, was well guarded- only five sentries patrolled in all: one on top of a large tower, one atop the fortress, one before the fortress, and two around this removed building. As I watched, the woman opened a small hatch in the brick wall, pushing the bowl through. Task done, she closed the hatch and walked away. There was no doubt in my mind that that was where Zelda was.

Now all I needed was a plan- how to get in, how to get out, how to keep the guards from seeing. I wasn't about to rely on Zelda's magic for anything, as she was most likely severely incapacitated.

Zelda... my stomach dropped as my heart rate increased. I'd hardly thought of her, Zelda: only of the princess who needed retrieving. But Zelda, my Zelda, was locked in there, and I had to get her out.

Thinking quickly, I scurried to a strategic position that afforded both cover and a clear view of all five guards. Would it be right of me to take away their hopes and dreams, to take their lives, just to save one woman?

Yes, I decided, taking out my bow. Yes, I could kill them. They were the enemy, they kidnapped Zelda, and though killing grieved me, these soldiers were far from innocent.

I aimed carefully at the first soldier, posted high above the fortress, looking out over the desert. Pulling the arrow back, I closed my eyes, then opened them, letting the arrow fly. _Goddesses save your soul,_ I prayed, remorse striking my heart as the arrow struck the soldier in the neck. Silently, she fell off the edge of the tower to the swirling sands far below. One down.

Soldier number two fell as my arrow buried itself in her breast, eyes wide as she fell on the top of the fortress's ramparts. I closed my eyes, sickened, then took out another arrow, aiming again for the third. As she turned a corner, out of sight from her fellow guards before Zelda's building, I shot her down. She went quickly- the arrow went through her head.

Four and five, I realized, would not be so easy, and they'd have to be quick. There was no way that I could take down one without the other noticing. I nocked an arrow and waited patiently as they came together, then turned their backs on each other. Quickly, I shot one. She made a small noise as she fell, and the other turned, eyes wide as she, too, was shot in the stomach. She looked down at the arrow in alarm and then quietly slipped into death.

I closed my eyes with remorse for a moment, and then stole quickly and quietly through the bloody sand to the only entrance to Zelda's cell, the one tall window. I cursed for a moment, looking at the sheer stone wall, then to the window, far too high to jump to. Fumbling a little, I pulled out a nifty thing I'd swiped from the armory, a grappling hook-like mechanism with a chain. Aiming carefully, I shot it at the wooden rafter above the window and went flying up. As I reached the top, the mechanism locked and my weight pulled the hook from the wood. I fell to the floor of Zelda's cell, cursing a little and holding my bruised knee. This had been such a stupid idea, I scolded myself, but now I was inside, at least. The hard part was done with.

A terrified squeak from the thing in the corner tore me from my low, quiet cursing.

Her face was bruised, her body gaunt, her nightdress shredded and soiled. "Not again," Zelda moaned, huddling up to a corner. "Please not again... no, Ganondorf," she panted, looking at my male form. "Go back across the desert, Ganondorf. I haven't made my choice."

"Zelda, don't worry. It's me, Link. I've come for you. I'm taking you back to Hyrule."

"Link?" she asked, her eyes hazy as she looked at me. I noticed the shackle lying across the room- she'd picked the lock herself. Good girl. "They said you'd left me for good. They said you'd helped him get me here. They said you're going to hurt me more."

"The Gerudo are full of bullshit. Come on, Zelda. Let's get you back to Hyrule."

She squeaked and flailed weakly in protest as I picked her up, and I noticed that she'd barely touched her meager food. "Have you not been eating?"

"Drugs- some food is the antidote and some is the poison. It's hard to tell which. Link, don't hurt me. Promise not to hurt me."

"I promise, Zelda. You're going to need to close your eyes, though. There's... I had to kill your guards."

"Good," she replied, though she burrowed into my jerkin all the same. "They were cruel. Link, don't leave me again."

"Now's not the time for this," I told her quietly, aiming my hookshot carefully. We went flying up, then flying back down, landing hard on the sand. I felt the snap of a broken rib and gritted my teeth in pain as I cushioned Zelda's landing with my own body, but in a moment I was up again, Zelda in my arms, and running.

She was disturbingly light.

There was no time for stealth now- I sprinted, madly, not caring for the many dark windows of the fortress, not caring who might see. We exited the grounds, thudding onto the bridge, Zelda babbling all the while about Ganondorf, pain, and saying my name over and over and over.

"Hold your nose and close your eyes. Don't breathe," I warned her. "I'm going to jump into the river."

Weakly, she complied, and off the bridge I leapt, down into the deep waters of the Spirit Flow. As the water connected hard with my broken rib, a painful slap, I nearly screamed from the agony. The pain wasn't important, though- Zelda was. Getting her to safety was.

I scrambled out of the river, still clutching Zelda close, and deftly untied Epona. I swung myself up into the saddle, awkward with the added light bulk of Zelda that I carried, but as soon as we were on the horse, we took off, just as shrill whistles began to echo from the fortress. Hastily, I spurred Epona, and off we flew.

Zelda babbled the whole night, eyes wide with delirium. My face was set in a grim line- what had happened to her in the fortress? But that wasn't important right now- the first and foremost goal was to get Zelda to safety. All night we rode, and as dawn broke I realized that we were still far from Zora's domain. I encouraged Epona on a little more, trying to be good to my exhausted horse. Again, Epona did not let me down- we reached sanctuary by noon.

When we began to navigate the skinny bridges and unusual leaps, I tied Zelda to Epona's back, dismounting myself and guiding my horse, whose flanks were white with the lather of sweat. It took several hours until we'd navigated to the large waterfall, and it was all I could do not to collapse right then and there. Breathing hard, I stood on the platform, shouting through the water, "the princess Zelda is in dire need of your aide! Please, open up! I'm a knight of the king's and the princess is here... she's very sick... please, open!"

I pulled Zelda down from the horse just as the flow of the waterfall thinned, leaving Epona to rest in a clump of grass next to a deep little well. Cradling Zelda in my arms and using the very last of my strength, I leapt across the chasm, feet touching mercifully on hard stone paving as my knees buckled out from under me, agony shooting through me as I fell and landed on my hurt rib. As the Zora raced towards us, I sighed in relief. She was safe now. We were safe. The Gerudo couldn't get us here- everything would be alright now.

I slipped into merciful, painless darkness.

&-

I awoke a while later lying on a soft, squishy cushion, my body blanketed by warm water. I sat up, droplets cascading off of me, and realized that I was naked- naked and healed.

"You're awake," said the Zora male who had been sitting next to me. "You have been out many hours."

"How long?"I asked, scratching my bare arm and looking around. The chamber was lit by a blue, shimmering, luminescent light- by water.

"Fourteen hours, maybe a bit more," the male replied. "The princess is still asleep."

"What of the king? The castle?"

"The Gerudo were driven back to the desert by the king and his men," the Zora replied. "It seems they got a tip off from a merchant who saw the Gerudo women marching through the field. Just in time, too- the King was about to depart his army for Algria."

I exhaled, lying back down on the Zora bed.

"The king knows you and the princess are here," the male added, looking at me with dark, curious eyes. "And he knows that you saved the princess."

I cringed, rolling over, resting my forehead on the squishy pillow that just barely sat above the water.

"The king'll have my head chopped off. I went without orders down to the desert to find her, ditching my post."

"Perhaps so," the Zora replied. "Or perhaps he will commend you for doing anything and everything necessary to save the princess."

"Perhaps," I replied. "Why don't I hurt? I broke my rib in the desert."

"These are healing waters," the Zora replied, dragging one long, webbed finger through the liquid I laid in. "They took the pain from you, and the great fairy mended your bone. We took you to see her- you and the princess both, though the princess was less easy to help because many of her injuries are in her heart."

I laid in the water for a while thinking about what the Zora had said. Finally, I sat, clambering out of the pod-shaped bed. "May I see the princess?"

"You may," the Zora replied. "But first you will need clothes, I think." He offered me a long, dark-blue robe, and I gratefully slid it on, the soft cloth absorbing the water from my skin. I shook my wet mane, and then followed the Zora male (who wore a robe much the same as mine) out of my room and into the one next to mine. There, three Zora women stood over Zelda, one wearing the shimmering pale blue and silver robes that marked her as royal, another wearing a dark blue robe like mine, and the third wearing garb of pure white, a cleric. They all stood over Zelda, then turned to face me as I entered.

"She is very ill," stated the cleric, touching Zelda's gaunt, bruised cheek. "It will take her a long time to recover, even in these healing waters."

"I need to take her back," I said quietly, my mouth dry. "Back to her father."

The Zora princess, Ruto, looked at me, pale eyes disconcerting and sad.

"The princess will go nowhere until she is healed. The pilgrimage to the castle is dangerous at the moment- you would not want to put her through more difficult trials." Ruto reverently touched Zelda's glistening hair. "She is in shock, Knight. We will wait to move her once she is awake and rested."

"The king?" I asked, weary.

"His Highness knows our first priority is the safety of the royal family. We keep the waters that feed the castle clean. We are often the eyes and ears of the family outside the palace- water is good for scrying. The king will wait for his daughter."

My mouth straightened to an unhappy slash, and I stepped forward to look at my princess, one of the few people I really, truly cared for. The Zora backed away as I moved close, seeming to sense my pain as I looked upon her.

She was naked beneath the water, her emaciated body covered in bruises and cuts. Her bones shone through her pale skin- I feared that if I touched her, she would flake away like burned paper. I looked closer at the many angry wounds, disregarding her nudity. Her body was beautiful, yes, but seeing her like this, so broken, I felt no arousal of desire: only sadness and anger.

One particularly angry bruise and cut on her stomach frightened me. The water was flowing all around the cut, soothing the angry pink skin, underneath which lay the nasty, purpled bruise.

It was the symbol of the Gerudo, I realized upon closer inspection, the crescent and star familiar to me. It had been carved into her skin.

"She will always have these scars," the cleric told me. "The ones on the outside may fade in time, but they will never fully go away. The scars on the inside will take longer to heal."

"I know," I replied, my voice thick with emotion as I cupped Zelda's skeletal cheek. There was no color below that clear, pale, fragile skin. Her lashes fluttered a little and she moaned. Her skin was burning hot.

"Fever," I mumbled. "From her injuries?"

"No," the Cleric replied, lines of worry creasing her otherwise smooth face. "It's... they poisoned her at the fortress, and the only antidote was in her food, in very small quantities. We're counteracting the poison as best we can, but her body is having to fight it all the same."

Disgust welled up within me. Wordlessly, I turned and left the room. As I furiously stomped aimlessly through the halls of the Domain, I vowed to myself that I would kill Dragmire with my bare hands.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

She woke up after about half a week, but refused to allow me in when she was naked. I tried explaining to her that I wasn't violating her with my eyes and that I'd already seen her, and was more concerned with her health than with her nudity, but somehow, she still would refuse me- refuse to talk to me even through the door as well. This, over all things, shattered my heart.

So for another week while Zelda healed, I puttered around Zora's domain, learning about the fish people. Every once in a while, I'd go with Ruto to feed Jabu-Jabu, the Zora's patron god, or I'd swim with the clerics on pilgrimages to the great fairy's fountain, or just wander around and be a pain in general. When I'd asked Ruto why we couldn't have just taken Zelda to see the Great Fairy to fix everything, she responded tersely that they had- and the fairy had done all she could.

"The rest," Ruto informed me, "is up to Zelda."

While I waited for Zelda, I learned what I could about the Zora, about their culture, waters, their religious views, everything: but more than anything, I focused on the security of the domain, the abilities of the watery kingdom to stand against siege, the floor plans of the building and the many winding natural passages that connected to the cavern and where they led. Most were too small for anything but currents of water to fit through, but some were large enough that I might squeeze through on my belly. So I learned and explored, greedily consuming any bit of knowledge I could get my hands on- just in case.

Half a week before Zelda and I left, the first news of battle began to drift to my ears. "Skirmishes", the Zora King called them, fights between patrol soldiers and Gerudo warriors. We all knew better, though- we knew it was another sign of the impending war. Though I'd come to enjoy dwelling in the domain (to a degree), I was itching to get moving, to feel the heft of a sword in my hand, to break Ganondorf's neck.

I wasn't quite so eager, however, to face the king of Hyrule.

When it had been determined that Zelda had recovered enough to emerge from the healing waters without risking serious relapse, the Zora women dressed her in silver and blue robes like Ruto's- her nightdress that she'd been kidnapped in had been ruined beyond repair. After the Zora had fed us and packed us plenty of food for the road- mostly fish and bread, and lots of water- and scried thoroughly to make sure our path was clear, Zelda and I bid the kind people goodbye and set out.

Zelda rode atop Epona, who I guided on foot through the twisting labyrynth that was the spell-guarded entrance to Zora's domain. When we had, at last, crossed the final bridge and jumped the last stream crossings, I swung onto Epona, behind Zelda. She was stiff and unmoving in my arms as I took the reins: inwardly, I sighed. This was not good.

After more than an hour of painfully silent travel, my frustrations had mounted. Far on the horizon was the castle- drawbridge up, and sentries most likely patrolling the battlements. While we still had time, were still out of view, I sighed, stopping Epona in a little glade where she could graze and rest, and dismounted.

"What are you doing?"

It was the most she'd spoken to me since she'd woken up, the only other things ever out of her mouth having been "Get out" or "no". I opened the saddle horn, pulling out some of the Zora's food, and plopped down on the grass, starting to munch.

"Link, what are you doing?" she asked again, impatiently.

"Eating," I replied through a mouthful of fish. She sighed, lurching and holding onto the reins as Epona began to wander, looking for grass and ignoring the young woman on her back- Zelda had lost so much weight that I almost doubted Epona knew she was there.

"Why did you have to pick now of all times to eat? If we're attacked and I'm taken back, I know who to blame."

"We won't be attacked. Besides, I'm hungry, and you're completely ignoring me. So we're going to kill two birds with one stone- I'm going to eat, and I'm not going to take you back to the castle until you talk."

"I'm on your horse," Zelda replied, gripping the reins tighter and squeezing Epona's flanks. "I can ride on to the castle without you and leave you here."

"No you can't," I replied, popping a piece of bread into my mouth. "Epona won't listen to you."

"Why you-" Zelda kicked Epona's flanks, whipping the reins, but to no avail- Epona turned her head to look at Zelda, chewing serenely on a blade of grass. Zelda only looked angrier at this, and I sighed. Where had the old Zelda gone?

"Why are you so angry at me?" I asked her, looking at her in all her icy, silver majesty upon the horse. "I saved you from the fortress."

"You saved me when there was nothing left to save," Zelda replied angrily. "You came too late."

"What do you mean, I came too late? Seems to me I got you out of there just before you lost it completely. I think you're angry because I saw you in such a damaged state, instead of seeing you being strong and resisting. You've always tried to be so strong, and when you finally did break, I saw you. For this, you can't forgive me."

"I didn't break!" She yelled, fuming, nostrils flaring in anger. "The reason I was in that cell was because I refused to break. They told me that if I'd just accept Ganondorf's offer of marriage then they'd let me out, or that I could have it the hard way and stay in there and rot until he returned from his business across the desert and forced me. And you know what, Link? I stayed in there, waiting, praying I'd die of starvation or poison before he came back. I hardly ate, only consuming that which I thought might be poisoned, and only slept when the Goddesses forced me to, and most of all, I didn't break. So don't accuse me of weakness, _Sir_ Link. I'm not the one who leaves their ... who lets people rot in cells for months. And now, because you took so bloody long, my future and the future of Hyrule has been ruined."

Irritation crawled up my neck. "There are a few facts wrong in there, princess. First, you weren't even in that cell for a week. Second, I got there as quickly as I could. Your father was quite the road block, and I had to discover your whereabouts on my own, which took several days. Third, if you're thinking about that stupid bargain you made with the King-"

I stopped, mid sentence, cursing inwardly. I'd blown it. A look of utter horror was written across Zelda's face. "How long have you known?" she asked me, her voice deadly quiet.

"I overheard you making the bargain with your father."

"You were eavesdropping."

"I was," I replied, expressionless, though inside my heart was thudding. This, I admitted to myself grimly, could quite easily be the end of my life.

"You were using me."

"I was not," I stated simply, plainly, void of all indignance or defensiveness. It would do no good to be hostile- only truthful. "I would never use you, or anyone for that matter, especially not you."

"How can I know that? How can I possibly judge that?" she asked me angrily. "Everything I ever thought I knew about you has flipped!"

"Well, you're not the only one, princess," I responded, temper boiling. "I saved your life and will probably be cast out of Hyrule for serious insubordination because I went to rescue you, and now you hate me for it. I've given up everything for you, Zelda. I didn't expect a thank you, but I didn't expect uninvited, unending, baseless antagonism!"

"Maybe you were just trying for the throne all along, Link. The Gerudo told me that you were manipulating me for your own purposes, and it would appear they're right! All the things you said and did were false. You didn't want me, you wanted the throne."

"Is that what you think? That I don't care about you? That you're a tool to me? If I didn't care for you, why would I have taught you archery? Why might I have introduced you to Esten and Damleda? Why would I have dried your tears time and time again, saved your life, risked my whole world and all my dreams just to try and find you?"

"To fit the part. Insurance. You wanted me to trust you, and you had to risk everything to get me because I'm your only way of getting the crown."

"I don't care about the crown, Zelda. For what it's worth, I don't even really care so much about what happens to Hyrule. I used to- protecting this land used to be my life, but now I only care about you. As long as you're safe, nothing else matters- dammit, the Gerudo could take over the castle, and I wouldn't care as long as I knew that you couldn't be hurt. You're all that matters, Zelda. Or, at least, you were, but now it seems you only have disgust for me despite all I've done."

"You lie."

"I would never," I replied, standing and walking to her, looking down into her angry face. "Not to you. Never to you, even if my life depended on it."

"You didn't tell me you knew about the deal," she replied, quietly, icily. "You lied."

"Because I hardly even though about it. The only times it ever crossed my mind were when I was worrying for your happiness. Goddesses's sake, Zelda... I never in all the realms would have dared to hope to be the one to stand beside you before your kingdom- dreamed, yes, every day, but never dared to hope. I told myself that being your friend and loyal knight would be enough- if not for me, then for you. Curses, Zelda, I'm telling you, you're all that matters to me anymore."

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring up at me. "Prove it," she snapped. "If you can, prove to me that I'm worth everything."

My mouth fell open in my anger. I began to say something, then stopped, thinking. What the devil was she getting at. I turned sharply to face her, and then, slowly, I brought a hand up to her cheek, touching the soft, pale skin there.

"Poor Zelda," I whispered, my anger draining suddenly out of me. "So fragile, so in need of love..."

I bent my head to kiss her lips, a feathery brush that still somehow expressed my desperation. I pulled away- her eyes were fixated firmly on my face, unreadable. I sighed, closing my own eyes, and knelt before her.

"I know you don't believe me," I said, taking her pale hand in both my own and pressing it to my forehead. "But if you'd just give me a chance- marry who you will, if you so desire, but that doesn't mean that I'll ever stop worrying about you, caring for you as much as I do, breathing every breath of air for you. You are who I live for, who I fight for- who I would gladly undergo hell every day for, be tortured for, die for. Perhaps you will never accept me, or perhaps you will never forgive me, but even if you continue to hate me every day until we both die, that won't change..."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "It won't change how much I love you. Nothing will change that, ever."

I stood, drained of everything, at once eager to return to the castle, despite the many nightmares awaiting me there. Zelda remained motionless, looking down at the ground before her as I fetched Epona and put away the food.

"Come on, Majesty," I said to her quietly, guiding Epona over. Zelda turned to me, face blank, and allowed me to help her mount. I swung up behind her, taking the reins around her once more, and spurring Epona onwards to the castle. For the rest of the trip she was motionless, a statue before me, save for the silent tears that dripped, unbeknownst to me, down her cheeks.

&-

We returned to fanfare and cheering- the princess had returned! But I was quite sure that the joy of the people was lost on us- though Zelda's posture softened slightly as she played the part of a princess, her lack of enthusiasm was detectable- at least, it was to me. I wondered how the people had known that we would be returning when we did, and then I recalled the Zora, their swift messages. They'd probably sent word ahead in the water.

We rode up to the castle, followed by an eager crowd, and then past them, across the inner drawbridge. Soldiers were waiting out front, as was the king. I stopped Epona, dismounting, a growing feeling of dread in my stomach as I helped Zelda down. She walked to her father, who considered her gravely, and then, suddenly, enveloped her in a hug. The people began to cheer, and, while they were distracted, I snuck away.

I took Epona to the stable, then meandered glumly to my room. Once in, however, I didn't stay: where I was hiding was far too obvious, and I didn't want anyone who was looking for me to find me. There would be people looking for me, alright: whether to congratulate me or kill me, I didn't feel like finding out.

So, carefully, I opened my window, looking out of the castle and around. Good- nobody in sight. I looked at the walls near me, thinking carefully. Finally, I pulled my head back inside, walking swiftly to my bedroom door and locking it. I strode back to the window, putting my feet on the ledge and looking out, simply breathing in the clear air. Then, I turned myself around and began to climb.

The roof wasn't very far above my bedroom, and it only took me a minute of gripping the rough stones to make it up. Once atop the shingles, I sighed, laying on my back and staring at the heavens. Far below, I heard the sound of people beating on my door, calling for me. I might have heard Esten's voice, but at that point, I didn't care. I just wanted to relax, let the big blue sky and the sweet warm wind wash away my thoughts.

I woke suddenly- it was dark, late. I'd fallen asleep and missed dinner. Not that I really cared about missing the meal, but lying on the hard surface of the roof had made my still strained and achy muscles hurt even worse. Quietly, I climbed back down to my window, slipping in and pulling off my boots. Looking out at the Temple of Time, I estimated that I'd just missed dinner, and that people would be going off to bed soon.

No loss, really. I wasn't even hungry anyhow.

I lit a candle and stripped down to nothing, throwing my clothes aside to be laundered later. Not really tired, but not really motivated to do anything else, I crawled between my sheets, enjoying (as much as I could while consumed by apathy) the feel of them sliding across my naked skin. I lay there for what felt like forever, until the castle had gone silent and still and the single lone candle next to my bed had dripped down low, a puddle of wax on the table. I didn't think much as I laid there, just stared up at the ceiling and felt horrible.

I never should have involved myself with her, I told myself. I should have stayed back at the castle during that hunting trip so long ago. I never should have let her close. I never should have fallen for her.

As I laid there, I began to think, to formulate, to plan. I loved Zelda- this was plain and simple, but it was obvious now that she could never love me, not after what had happened. All those long ago promises, both said and unsaid, had shattered into a thousand heartbroken shards, without hope of repair. So I'd save myself the agony- she obviously didn't care anymore- and I would leave. If I couldn't be with Zelda now, close, if my presence only brought her pain, then I would leave, become her shadow, protecting her from afar. A queen would have many enemies, more than she could keep tabs on herself. There, I would help her. So I wouldn't be breaking my word from when I promised her so long ago that I would protect her, forever: I would. I just wouldn't be near her as I did so.

My heart broke as I thought these things, my head pillowed on my arms as I stared up at the ceiling. I'd leave, I decided, first thing in the morning, after I told Esten (and presumably Damleda, as it was more than likely she had returned to the castle by now) goodbye.

&-

I pulled the cowl lower over my eyes as I walked through the halls, the train of my cloak sliding across the floor. It was the best way I could hide myself- ever since, well, since the disaster, I hadn't been what I once was. I didn't have the strength or the energy at my disposal that I'd so proudly boasted previously, and I counstantly felt weak and drained, anxious. That's why I was where I was now, in the middle of the corridor in the dead of night. I had to know.

I wasn't the same, this much I knew: I'd been something different before... before the disaster. I'd been stronger then, had more energy and power. I'd been motivated and determined, sometimes to a fault. Nothing stood in the way of what I wanted then, and any means I had to use, I did. I was idealistic- I was naieve. Now I knew better. Ideals were useless, and people were fickle, at best. Nothing was certain. Nobody was certain. And I would be harsher now, and cruel when I had to be. I knew that the bitterness I harbored now would never completely fade away. Maybe later on, I thought as I walked, my steps echoing icily through the corridors, my strengths would return and I'd be stronger, but until, I would be as I was now: feeling constantly drained, anxious, irritable, and, most of all, cold-blooded.

But not, I vowed to myself, as cold-blooded as my captors.

I reached his room- even in my thoroughly weakened state, there was still that connection, that feeling I got when I touched the knob. He was in there, and he was awake. Gently, I twisted- it was locked. This was unsurprising, as I, too, had locked myself in my room for much of the afternoon and evening, only emerging for dinner. Quietly, I pulled out the single pin I'd tucked behind my ear, unwinding it and slipping it into the lock on his door. After a few minutes of quiet jiggling the lock came undone and I sat back, satisfied. I hadn't lost my touch. Impa, my old nursemaid, would be proud.

I turned the knob, silent as a shadow, entering Link's room. He had been undisturbed by my ministrations, lying with his head propped back on his hands, tightly coiled muscle of his arms thrown into sharp focus. The broad, flat expanse of his firm chest stretched out, bare down below the sheets. It didn't look like he was wearing any clothing.

Well, I told myself as my pulse fluttered in my breast, now we would be even.

As I shut and locked the door behind me, he blinked at me, then went back to staring at the ceiling. "Yes?" he asked me, pretending to not care that I'd just picked the lock on his bedroom door and walked in, unvited, while he was naked. "Can I help you with something, your highness?"

"You weren't at dinner," I found myself saying as I turned, my cloak sliding along the stone floor. I looked around- his living quarters were so small, and mostly bare, clean save for some clothes shoved in the corner, the clothes he'd been wearing that morning. Just like I rememebered. Just like I loved.

"Forgive me, Princess, but I find that my appetite is lacking as of late."

"I understand." I walked to sit at one of the two chairs at the tiny table, resting my hands atop the wooden surface, fingers laced together. "Link, I... today..."

I looked to him, his carefully blank face, his eyes cast up to the ceiling. I took a breath. "All those things you said today..."

"Were true," he stated blandly. "I do not take them back."

"I see." I looked back down at my hands for a moment, breathing shallowly. I looked to him again.

"And you believe that I hate you?"

"Yes," he said, emotionless, toneless. "Though your presence does, I confess, confuse me at the moment."

Silence.

"It's not..." I began quietly after a long moment, thinking. "I don't hate you, not at all. I am simply... simply afraid."

"The gerudo won't come for you again," he replied plainly. "Not now. They can't. Security around you will be heightened, even as we march off to war."

"I'm not afraid of the Gerudo," I replied quietly. "It's you I'm afraid of."

"I have no reason to harm you."

"I don't fear that you'll harm me," I answered suddenly. "I'm afraid of... of the reactions you evoke in me. The way I always am thinking about you, and how much I care, and..."

I was kneeling next to his bed in a flash, cloak behind me, pooling on the floor at the ends.

"At first, all I thought about in the prison was keeping myself calm, sane, how I would get out of there. But the days went so slowly, and time itself seemed to bend backwards over and over and over. I began to think about you, waiting for you, calling out to you in the darkness. I didn't sleep, ate very little. The whole thing was a hazy dream, a delirium, a waking nightmare. And they kept telling me that you wouldn't come, you'd helped them to put me there, that I'd been in there for months and that you'd been living lavishly off the payment they'd provided, and that I could either accept Ganondorf's marriage proposal, or wait in the cell until he returned from his business across the desert and forced himself upon me, in marriage by rape. I kept hoping I would die, Link. I ate only what I thought was poisoned, drank very little, and when you never showed up, I understood that the Gerudo had been right, that you didn't care. It was... hell."

"I came for you, though," he replied, sitting up, scrunching his sheets around his waist. "I came and rescued you and brought you back here."

"But the damage has been done," I replied, suddenly upset. "I'm... I'm not who I was, Link. I may never be how I was ever again. The torture, the beatings, the starvation, the constant fear... I've been changed."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Zelda," he replied softly, bringing a hand up to my face. "And you will be so much stronger for this once your wounds are healed."

As his thumb stroked my cheek, silent, desperate tears began to drip down my face.

"Link," I whispered to him, understanding everything unspoken through his gentle touch. "Please... don't leave me. Please stay. You're the only one that cares about me."

"Of course I'll stay," he replied, lifting me up onto the bed, wrapping his arms around me and resting his chin atop my head. "If you want me to stay, I'll stay. All you need to do is ask."

"Never leave me." I began to openly cry, throwing my arms around him. It was a moment of weakness, of breaking, in which, for the first time, I truly was little more than a woman, desperate for the love of a man. "Link, please..."

He mumured words of comfort in my ear, rubbing soothing circles on my back, kissing my hair and neck from time to time. After a while, I'd cooled off and the tears had run dry, though I was feeing a throbbing headache coming on.

"If I asked you to stand by me, forever, simply as a woman to a man, would you do it?"

"Yes," he said immediately. "I would."

"If... if my father died tomorrow, would you still stay with me?"

"Don't say such things," he scolded me gently. "Your father won't die."

"Link, please, answer the question..."

"I would stay with you, Zelda," he replied softly. I loved it when he said my name. I wrapped my arms around him, frightened as I came to my question.

"If... if I asked you to rule Hyrule by my side, to assume kingship, would you?"

He didn't waver, continuing to stoke my back and run his hands through my hair.

"It's a difficult question, and a large request, he replied. "One I'm not sure I could fill, if it were only a job."

I took a deep, shaky breath. Get it over with.

"If... if I told you that I wanted you there not because I believe you'd be the best man for the job, but because I love you with all my heart and want nothing more than to be with you, forever, to bear your children and grow old with you, to rule Hyrule with you, equal with you, side by side? To share everything with you, joy and pain, the good and the bad, the challenges that will test the bonds between us and ultimately bring us closer?"

"If that was how you truly felt, I would say yes," he told me, his hands ceasing their gentle ministrations. "Yes, I would be yours, forever and ever."

I looked up at him, hope, for once, filling my heart.

"Then... then you will marry me?" I touched his cheek, his lips, his collarbone, his shoulder, gliding my hand down his arm. "Not for the sake of the throne, but you will be my husband?"

"Do you love me?" he asked, a strange sort of awe in his voice and written on his face. "Truly love me?"

I closed my eyes. "If ensuring your happiness meant I had to return to the desert for the rest of my days," I said softly, breathing deep and looking up at him, my eyes gazing straight into his, "I would do it in a heartbeat, and never regret it, even if I lived to be past a hundred."

His lips captured mine in a hungry kiss, passionate, desperate.

"Promise me, Link," I gasped out. "Promise me that you will marry me. That you love me. Show me."

He groaned with desire as I pushed him back down to the bed.

"I will marry you," he replied, breathless. "I'll be yours forever."

I attacked his lips with renewed joy and urgency, my hands running hungrily along his body. He pulled me to him, his hands cupping my thin waist, roaming along my back. As he rolled over to lie atop me, his weight pushed down on my stomach, enough to make me gasp in pain, jerking us both from our hazy desire.

"Your... the cuts," he panted. "Zelda, we can't do this. Not tonight. You're still hurt, still getting better."

"You leave for the war soon," I replied, trying to bite down the pain. "You might die. I want to share this with you before you go, so that... so that if you die..."

"I won't die," he promised me, kissing me again, but gently this time, lovingly. "I'll return to you, safe and sound, I promise." He cupped the side of my face, smiling at me with joy and contentment. "Please, Zelda, don't worry. Everything will be fine, I promise you." He pushed some wayward hair back behind my ears, and then frowned at my cloak.

"Are you... how did you get in here, anyway?"

"I picked the lock," I replied with a soft smile. "I'm not entirely helpless."

"But... won't people look for you in the morning if you stay?"

"No," I replied, looking down. "I... I don't have my magic anymore. It's gone, but maybe it will come back someday. So I used more mortal means. I left orders last night for Damleda and Damleda alone. She's the only one who will care for me tomorrow, and there's a note waiting for her in my room explaining where I am."

I felt him smile against the skin of my neck as he untied the strings of my cloak, which had gotten uncomfortably tangled around the both of us.

"Let's sleep," he said softly. "It's late, and I think we're both tired. Tomorrow, maybe, we can talk more about this, and figure out what we'll tell your father. For now, though, sleep."

I relaxed as he wound his arms around me, the last of my desire melding away into his comforting embrace. In what felt like no time, I was sound asleep, dreaming of weddings and children and eternity.

Yes, I was scarred and battered and broken, but maybe Link's love was just the cure I needed, I thought, a smile curling across my lips as I slipped into darkness. Maybe.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

When the men rode away, Damleda and I weren't the only ones crying. All the wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and sweethearts of the many soldiers had gathered around the palace gates to wave our army off: practically all were crying. As I watched Link ride towards battle and blood, sitting tall and proud on his horse, his silver armor gleaming, riding within the king's century, I prayed to myself that he would keep his promise and return to me, return to become my king.

If he didn't, I thought, my heart would be broken one final time, beyond repair forever.

I was to run Hyrule in conjunction with the king's remaining advisors whilst my father was away. They were all men of the highest esteem, of noble blood and the greatest of military prowess, but, unfortunately, the few who remained were the few who were truly old and decrepit, old-fashioned, fixated wholly on their goddesses and the ways of their youth. Without the other advisors to moderate and mediate, this would, I knew, be quite the governing adventure. But I could do it. If I could withstand half a dozen old men, I could rule the country.

And I would, I vowed, rule.

Heart heavy, I watched the drawbridge creak back up behind the men. Some soldiers had remained at the palace to guard us- I'd prayed to the goddesses to let Link be one of them, but my father needed him out on the field and so my prayers were denied. I needed him too, though, I thought. I needed him as much as I needed water or air or food. But for now, I would manage without. I would have to... for him.

"Come on," I said to Damleda, who was wiping at her streaming eyes with a kerchief. "Let's get back to the palace."

"Of course," she replied, sniffling. "There's much for us to do, isn't there?"

"Yes," I replied solemnly. "But first, I think that we should... should take a few moments to freshen ourselves, back in my quarters."

"Yes, yes," Damleda agreed. "This horrible humidity has ruined your coiffure."

Little Rowan was lying in a scarf across her chest, as usual, dark hair ruffled from sleep, pale eyes lacking sparkle. He had picked up on his mother's restlessness and ainxiety, and let loose a discontented wail, clinging to his mother. Damleda gathered her son to her chest and the two of us set off through the crowd, back to the castle, where we excused ourselves, then expunged our grief, holding tight to one another as we cried.

"If... if Esten died, I don't know what I would do," she told me through her tears. "I can't imagine raising Rowan without him..."

"But even if something does happen to Esten, you will always have Rowan," I replied, hopless as slow, steady tears leaked down my face. "I... Link... the idea of life without him is desolate."

"He will come back for you," Damleda replied. "His life has been so empty for so long... when he didn't have you, he only fought for the glory, to remind himself of his own mortality. Now, he really does have a cause to weild his blade for. Nothing will stop him," she comfoted me.

"We can only pray," I concluded, squeezing Damleda gently one last time before pulling away, "that the Goddesses see fit to bring our men back to us quickly and in good health."

"Yes," she replied, smiling and wiping away the last of her tears. "Oh, dear. We'll have to powder our noses before we go back down, else we'll look like Lon Lon Ranch's best cows."

I laughed, which cut off with a choke, and then sat down at my vanity, retrieving my powder and allowing Damleda to attempt to rectify the slight damage to my hair.

"Everything will be fine," I told Damleda through the mirror. "The men will return, and Link and I will wed, and you and Esten will have enough children to fill all of Hyrule."

"Perhaps so," Damleda replied with a laugh, touching Rowan's messy black hair. "But for now, Rowan is enough for me to handle."

"He has grown," I stated admiringly. Damleda beamed, all motherly pride. "He has," she agreed.

And, in the mundane way of women, Damleda and I comforted ourselves with the simplicities of routine and daily life, reassuring ourselves that our men, our loves, would return to us, safe and soon.

&-

I stared into the campfire.

I wondered how she was, how she was holding up- she would be afraid, of course. I was afraid, to an extent. But I knew I had her hope and love and prayers protecting me. I would return to her, I vowed. I would return to become her king.

"Thinking about Zelda?" Esten asked me, examining his sword, which he was polishing by the light of the fire.

"Of course," I replied quietly. "And you? Are you thinking of Damleda?"

"Constantly. And I'm thinking of Rowan, too. Wondering how they're doing."

"Damleda's strong," I told him. "If anything happens to you, she'll make it by."

When we'd been rookies together, Esten and I had thought it bad luck to talk like something might happen to one of us. After our first war, we grimly acknowledged the looming possibility of death.

"Zelda is strong, too," he replied. "Stronger than either of you think."

"If I don't return, it'll kill her," I sighed. "After what has happened, she has... she has been changed, in a way that I'm afraid I'll never be able to fix."

"You love her," Esten stated simply, looking up from the sword. "And you told her."

"I did," I replied, unashamed. "I told her when I brought her back from Zora's domain."

Esten and I really had been too busy to talk lately.

"How did she take it?"

"She didn't believe me, at first. But then, she came to my room that night, demanding answers."

"You slept with her." It wasn't a question.

"No. We dreamt in the same bed, but we are going to wait."

"Good," Esten replied, looking back down to his sword. "Because if something happened to you, she'd be in large, unhealthy quantities of trouble."

I didn't bother to respond- I knew he was right.

The night was warm and quiet, but by no means was it peaceful. There was the constant sound of building as the carpenters worked on a crude fortress wall. Soldiers patrolled the perimeter of our encampment. Blades were being sharpened before fires that glutted themselves on wood. Some men cooked, some worked, some stared at the flames thinking of home. None, however, slept. None relaxed.

"How long do you think we'll be out here?" Esten asked me, looking around at the field. Our particular division was placed strategically closer to the desert, comprised of more seasoned veterans who knew what to expect. We weren't far off the river.

"Perhaps a month, perhaps more," I stated blandly. "Hopefully less. If we lay siege, it may not take too long: the summer is coming and the fortress will be lower on food as their few crops die in the heat. But then again, they may have vast reserves of food. We don't know. There aren't that many of them, though. Hopefully..."

"Hopefully we'll be back by the time that Zelda has to announce her choice to the people," Esten stated blandly. "So that you can be there, by her side."

"I don't think we'll be out of here in a week and a half." I stared into the fire, brooding and silent. Esten sighed, knowing there was nothing he could say, and returned to the blade.

The first night passed in tension, exhaustion, and finally, restless sleep in which I'm sure all the mean dreamt of home, of their women.

And I dreamt of Zelda.

&-

I rose, determined to meet the new day and exceed all expectations that anyone might have had of me. Was I just a silly, helpless, incompetent princess who goes and gets herself kidnapped? We'd see.

As I sank into the water of my morning bath, I wrapped my arms around myself, thinking back to Zora's domain, the feeling of a slow, painful awakening, wondering where I was and praying I was dead, the feeling of penetrating emptiness: emptiness of heart, of spirit, of magic. It still hadn't quite come back to me yet, the magic. It hadn't done me any good, either: it hadn't gotten me out of that cell, hadn't kept me safe, hadn't done anything at all.

I wish Link was here, I thought, pouring water over myself. I could keep him with me. He could protect me, keep me safe. He wouldn't let anyone hurt me, not him. Not Link.

And he loved me.

A smile crossed my face then, a real smile, warmth spreading through my icy heart at this. He loved me. At first, I'd thought he was just lying, that he'd been using me all along, but I'd gotten to thinking, and the truth became suspect. So I'd gone to his room, and he had proven it.

I'd been disappointed when he'd rejected me, of course- who wouldn't be?- but then I understood that, in doing that, he had truly proven his love and respect for me: in looking out for my best interests despite a loss on both our parts, he had compacted my belief in him, and made me determined to carry on, to be strong. For him.

I finished washing myself, then rose from the bath, steaming and dripping, my long locks dark and curled from the water. I dried myself off, then pulled on underclothes and went into my chambers to dress.

Damleda had already arrived and selected a dress, red, like blood, with golden shoulderpieces and a black sash that tied around the waist. She twisted my hair atop my head and helped me to dress, draping a golden locket around my neck as I carefully outlined my eyes faintly with kohl.

"You look beautiful," she told me once the job had been completed, stepping back and cradling Rowan.

"I look terrifying," I stated, admiring myself. "The red gown was a good pick."

"Yes, it was," Damleda replied, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Zelda..."

I raised my eyes to look at her, sure that the blueness of them was shocking against the brightness of my dress. "Yes?"

"You have to announce your choice to the people in a week and a half, don't you?"

"That was the original agreement," I conceded. "Though now that this has happened and father is not here, I don't know. I didn't have a chance to speak with him before he left."

"You... you are going to choose Link, aren't you?" Damleda asked, uncertain, biting her lip. I smiled.

"At the beginning of my hundred days, I was concerned with finding a man who would be a good king, or, at the very least, a good husband. I didn't believe I would find both manifest in one being- the goddesses proved me wrong.

"Even if I were to find myself a man who would be a better king than Link, I would not waver. And, I believe, no man could make a better husband to me than Link could, so my decision remains the same. I will marry Link, goddesses willing, and we will rule Hyrule side by side."

"He'll come back from the desert for you," Damleda reassured me. I closed my eyes as the pain overwhelmed me, the though of him never returning. "He loves you too much to leave you."

"He once told me," I replied, eyes still shut, "that, if it were necessary, he would undergo torture for me, kill for me, die for me. I pray it does not come to that, to being tortured: the gerudo are skilled in the art of torture and deception. I only hope they don't manage to get underneath his skin like they did mine, and convince him that his death will mean my life."

"Link knows you are safe now," Damleda replied, comforting. "He won't give in. Don't worry, Zelda. He won't let them take him."

"We can only pray," I replied, and then stood, touching Rowan's dark, curly hair. "Enough of that, though. There's nothing we can do about it right now. I have a kingdom to run."

&-

It had been three days, and neither hide nor hair had been seen of the Gerudo. Tension had been reduced to boredom, and through my worry, I'd been going crazy. I was having a bit of difficulty believing what I was doing to distract myself, and, apparently, so was Esten- or, at least, he would be having difficulty if he weren't so busy laughing at me.

"Shut up," I growled, scratching out the poetry I'd written in the ashes of our campfire with a stick. "You're not helping me to concentrate."

"Your eyes are bluer than tektite's blood? Come on now, Link, even you have to admit that that's not exactly romantic."

"I'm new at this poetry thing!" I growled, frustrated, stabbing the ashes angrily. As I had a limited supply of paper and ink out in the camp, I'd settled for more crude means of prewriting.

"Why don't you try this: 'your eyes are bluer than the bluest of skies, deeper than the waters of the deepest sea.' How's that?"

"It's not mine," I sulked, writing it down anyway. "What is it with you and poetry anyway, Esten?"

"My mother used to read me lots of poetry when I was younger," he stated seriously. "She seemed to think it would keep me from turning into a sword-swinging barbarian."

"You're a failure, then," I stated blandly, poking at the ashes with my stick. When Esten didn't speak, I dropped it and laid back on my palette, bored, watching the bustle of the rest of the camp, the tense excitement. I wasn't feeling it.

"I just want to go home," I sighed, closing my eyes and breathing deep. "Go back to Zelda."

"I know how you feel," Esten replied. "Remember how miserable I was during our first battle after I'd fallen for Damleda?"

"You two had a terrible fight the night before we marched off to battle, didn't you? I remember that. You were sulking the whole time we were gone." I opened my eyes and grinned over at Esten, who was whittling a stick down into a smaller stick. "We were gone for what- two months? And when we got back, she jumped on you, crying and saying how sorry she was and how much she'd missed you?"

"Yeah." The corners of Esten's mouth were twitching as he surpressed a grin. "That was one of the best returns I ever had."

"It's hard for you now, though, isn't it? Damleda is waiting for you, and now you have Rowan, too. You know what'll happen if we lose."

"If something happens to me, Damleda will be fine. She may be sad, but she'll keep going. She has other people that can help her- her mother, her sister, Rowan, Zelda... if we lose, I doubt that anything much will happen to her. She is Gerudo, after all, albeit only slightly. Leda's smart: if they try to do anything, she'll pull the whole "sister" act, talking of her pathetic, disgraceful grandmother and praising the Gerudo for coming for her."

"What of Rowan?"

"The Gerudo keep their children, even if they are men. There's a tradition in the desert that when a child comes of age, boy or girl, they are sent into the desert to find the temple of the sand-goddess. Most girls return, but something happens to the boys in the temple. They vanish, supposedly, becoming lovers of the goddess. Only once every hundred years does the goddess return a male to the desert to rule- or, at least, that's how the stories go."

"You don't worry about Rowan being sent into the desert?"

"If it comes to that, I know he will be fine. Leda will raise him well, and he does have my genes," Esten stated, smirking. I sighed, shaking my head, and rolled over.

"I've got more to lose," I stated blandly. "If I don't return, Zelda will probably snap for good. If we're defeated in combat, Zelda will be forced to be Ganondorf's wife."

"Zelda will be alright, even if she is forced to join the tribe. She'll have Damleda, and the women have been known to take sympathy on capture-brides for their kings. She may not be happy, but she'll be alright. She'll make it through."

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Hopefully, this war will end quick. Hopefully, everything will-"

"Attack!" one of the sentries yelled, the end of the word frighteningly garbled. I was on my feet in a second, sword in hand.

"They must have killed the sentries further out before they could get word to us," Esten called to me over the sudden noise of battle. "Damn, but this is inconvenient."

"It could be worse," I stated, quickly tightening the straps on my armor (which I'd slept in, like all the other knights) and grabbing my shiled. "They could have snuck in and slit our throats in our sleep."

"Right," Esten replied. "Let's find the king."

We dodged through the camp, where the first fingers of battle were already stretching. Further on, closer to the desert, the sound of an all-out war clashed and clanged. Esten and I made it to the King's pavilion, lining up with the rest of the century, listening attentitively to our battlemaster as our plan of attack was relayed to us. Within five minutes, we were marching towards the mess of Gerudos and Hylians, a silver box, swords extended and shields held to the sides and top, guarding us from attacks.

The mess was truly terrifying- slain everywhere, and all around, the stink of blood. Though I'd seen many, many battles, I'd never quite gotten over the initial fear that accompanied entering. Within a moment, however, my mind was occupied completely as we broke formation and began to cut our way through the Gerudo.

I'd learned early on in my tenure in the army to never look at your enemy's face while they died. It was difficult with the Gerudo- the stunned expression of one young woman as she fell was enough to make me want to drop my sword, but I shook it off. These were the women who had tortured Zelda. They deserved no pity.

I had to find Ganondorf and kill him.

I cut and stabbed through, trying to ignore the oddly easy feel of my blade slicing through flesh, the occasional catch of steel on bone. The few true fights I entered into didn't last long- though the Gerudo had twin scimitars and were deadly in their art, I was fueled by such rage that their blows only bounced off my armor as I took incredibly risky manouvers to bring them down. And then I was on, tugging at my helm to be sure my head was covered, looking for Ganondorf.

I'd find him and I would kill him.

I wouldn't torture him, I thought as I cut through another Gerudo- torture took too long and was too risky in a battle like this. I could try and face him, head on, but that would probably be something incredibly stupid, as I didn't know the measure of his fighting ability. Thus, I concluded I'd take the cowardly way out- I would find him engaged and stab him in the back.

But I'd have to make sure nobody could take me down while I did it.

I came upon him rather suddenly, and fear ate at me when I did. He was a whirlwind in a black robe, killing all that approached him with an easy grace. Faces I knew and faces I didn't went down suddenly, even as more soldiers attacked him. As I drew a gerudo woman into battle, I studied his techniques, killing my opponent quickly and taking on another one. He was fast, this much was obvious, and strong, but his guarding was sloppy. If I could simply get on top of him quick enough, I could stab him in the side, or possibly even the neck. As I slayed another Gerudo, I formulated a quick plan, hating myself for it. It would be very easy for me to get badly wounded doing this, if not killed: but I saw a way, and I would take the risk. If I killed Ganondorf- and I would- then Zelda would be safe, forever. And Esten had been right: Zelda would have Damleda, and her Countess friend, and all the people in her country.

And, if I did the thing right, she might have me, too.

As I swiftly brought down another Gerudo, I saw, as if time had slowed, my chance. Heedless of the danger, I charged in, firmly embedding my blade in Ganondorf's side. A sudden shock spread itself across his features as he fell, his eyes turning to me.

"For Zelda," I told him, pulling out my dripping blade. "It's cheap, but so was kidnapping her." His arm flew up, and I felt the fultility of his sword rebounding from my armor. Something, though, didn't feel quite right...

"You're dead, Knight," the Gerudo King responded, a sudden smirk spreading itself across his features. "All your people... are dead."

His head lolled to the side and his eyes stared off into nothing.

I couldn't believe I'd done it. I'd just killed- albeit quite cheaply- the Gerudo King. Zelda was safe now. Sudden, ear-splitting shrieks of the Gerudo women jerked me from my thoughts, and with this, pain overtook me. My armor had been sliced straight through by Ganondorf's blade- but when?

As I fell down to the ground to die in agony next to the single man I most hated in the universe, the Gerudo women dropped as well, surrendering their blades and shrieking, pressing their palms to their ears. But that didn't matter now- nothing mattered, except the pain, the horrible pain. Somehow, Ganondorf had sliced, killed me. But how?

_Heedless of the danger, I charged in, firmly embedding my blade in Ganondorf's side. A sudden shock spread itself across his features as he fell, his eyes turning to me. I said something, pulling out my dripping blade, and as I did, Ganondorf's arm crossed over my chest, his sword..._

_His sword..._

The battle was won. The Gerudo were surrendering. Ganondorf had been killed- but so had I.

The noise began to fade away, the scent of blood abating. Even the horrible pain in my chest dissolved, until I was safe and warm, staring up at the blue sky.

So this was what dying was like. It wasn't so bad...

I turned my head to the side, closing my eyes, seeing Zelda's smiling face in my mind one last time before I passed to be with the Goddesses.

_I wish you all the happiness in the world, Zelda, _I thought._ Don't be bitter. Don't be cold. Move on._

Esten dropped on his knees next to me, shouting something, tugging at my armor. It was too late, I tried to tell him. I was already dying, already dead. I wanted to tell him to tell Zelda I loved her, that I wanted her to move on- there were so many hundreds of thousands of things I wanted to say.

In a moment, however, all my cares vanished as I was washed away into the endless, sweet sleep of death.

&-

News of battle came suddenly, late on the third night that they had been gone. I was eating dinner with the rest of the court, stately and quiet, when the messenger burst in, exhausted.

"Highness, highness," he panted, stumbling over. "News... from the desert..."

"Yes?" I asked, dropping my fork and standing suddenly, balling up my napkin. "What news?"

"A battle... many dead- two of three dead, injured, or missing. Your father, badly injured... the Gerudo king, killed. The Gerudo have surrendered..."

"Who killed Ganondorf?" I asked, clutching the napkin. "When will the soldiers return?"

"This night, or the next," the messenger replied. "I know not the name of the man who killed Ganondorf, lady, but he took a severe blow to the chest. It cut straight through his armor to his side. Not so deep that he'd die instantly, but he is currently close to death."

"My father, though? What of my father?"

"Severe... severe blow to the head, several deep open wounds. We don't know if he will live. He's being hurried here, along with the knight that killed the gerudo king, as well as some others who have more dangerous injuries."

"When will they arrive? When will my father arrive?" Hysteria was pulling at me, joy coupled with deep, unshakable fear, remorse and terror for my father, and the thought of Link, possibly dead... too much for me to handle. "Who are the dead?"

"A list is being compiled of the dead and missing. You will know when the army arrives..."

"Very well," I replied, ice overtaking me. "You have done well. I give you leave."

The messenger thanked me and stumbled out of the room, but I didn't hear or see. I was caught up, fear coiling around me. Wordlessly, I left the dining hall and went to my room, Damleda catching up with me when I was halfway there.

"Zelda," she panted, "I... I heard that there was a... a messenger." She was doubled over, holding Rowan to her, her free hand pressed to her stomach.

"Ganondorf, dead, my father near death, many killed and injured and some missing. I don't know about Esten, or Link."

"When will the men arrive?"

"Tonight, or tomorrow. Those who are badly injured will be here sooner."

"Then let us pray that both Link and Esten come tomorrow. I'll wait with you tonight, if you would like."

"Please," I replied, my voice cracking slightly. "Please, Leda."

We entered my chambers and sat down on the sofas in the dressing room, silent, waiting. When Rowan began to get restless, Damleda fed him, then laid him down to sleep on my large bed. And all night, we waited, until finally, near dawn, the far off sound of many horses announced the arrival of my father and the injured.

I just prayed that Link was not among them.

&-

I was not ashamed as I began to wail before the many spectators, holding to his body.

"He's not," I sobbed furiously. "He can't be."

"I'm sorry, Zelda," my father replied weakly and solemnly from where he laid, bound and pallid. "I saw him- he charged in and killed Ganondorf, and as the gerudo fell, he cut Link with inhuman strength."

"He'll live," I sobbed, tears openly coursing down my cheeks. "He has to. Wake up, Link, wake up," I cried, touching his cheek, then his battered, bloody chest. "I need you."

"He has lost a lot of blood," Esten said quietly, his arm around Damleda, who had buried her face in his shoulder and was convulsing with tears. "I'm surprised he isn't yet dead."

"He... he won't die," I cried. "He can't. Not Link. Link could never die."

Nobody responded. I kept crying, holding tight to his frighteningly still form.

"You were going to marry me!" I shrieked suddenly, resting my forehead against his chest. "You were going to be my king! Nobody would have been better for Hyrule than you, and you had to go and make some stupid sacrifice just to get rid of a madman."

This was all taking place on the drawbridge of the castle, from where Damleda and I had rushed out to meet the many men bearing the badly hurt. Esten had been carrying Link, his face drawn, and he had not relinquished his friend until I arrived. Now, Link was lying on the ground, eyes shut, face strangely solemn, bleeding through his bandage.

Looking down at him, a sudden idea coursed through my mind. It was stupid, incredibly so, but if anyone deserved life, it was Link. I felt the beginnings of my lost magic at my fingers, itching to be released.

"Will you live, father?" I asked him suddenly, turning my tearful blue gaze on him. "Will you survive?"

"My wounds are very painful," the king stated with a weak cough as a medic bent over him. "But yes, I believe that I will live."

"I see." I turned my eyes back on Link, whose face had gone deathly pale. "Then... then there is hope." I touched Link's face lovingly, tears coursing down my cheeks anew. "You'll live, Link, I know it."

"Zelda," Damleda said suddenly, looking at me as I began to unbind Link's bandages. "Zelda, what are you doing?"

The words washed away from me as I stared down at the bleeding wound, a perfect slash deep into the skin of his broad, tanned chest. It would leave a horrible scar, I thought to myself as I pulled something out from within me, something glittering and huge, all the energy I posessed. Though it wasn't what I'd once had, it would be enough for Link. More than enough. He would live, and I would die, and because of it, the world would be a better place.

"He won't die," I responded, touching the wound, releasing the first waves of magic. "He'll live. He deserves a second chance."

As I watched, the blood began to stop as the skin on Link's chest knit itself back together. I felt it pulling the energy out of me, sucking me into darkness. Not yet, I said to the magic. Not just yet.

The wound sealed, raw and pink and angry, but safe. He would be safe. He would live. I heard the distant gasps of those around me, and then fell over, just as Link's eyes cracked open, barely revealing the beautiful blue.

"Zelda..." he whispered. I didn't hear it, though. I'd given him his second chance at life. The King could remarry, or name Link heir, or just plain give up. I didn't care anymore- like I'd told Link the night before he left, all that mattered was him.

I smiled as I took his place in death.


	10. Epilogue

**Ten**

I stared down at the tomb, heaviness in my heart. Though it had been more than a month since the ceremony, I still hadn't recovered. Nobody had. It had been too much of a shock, too sudden for any of us to comprehend. Alive one second, dead the next- that was how it had been. But the medics had assured us the passing had been painless, though I wasn't sure how the medics knew since the death wasn't exactly normal.

There were lilies left before the entrance to the tomb- beautiful, pure white lilies. I smiled sadly: Zelda would have liked the lilies. But Zelda was gone now, far away- where, nobody was exactly sure. The country was quiet, resigned, and even the Gerudo seemed to feel our loss. Without argument, they'd submitted to our peace treaty, speaking briefly of some strange enchantment the desert king had woven over the people and doing their best to make amends. The wounds were still there, though, and would be there for a long time- sisters resenting the men who had killed their fellow thieves, wives resenting the warriors who had taken their husband from them. But the hostility was quelled in light of the recent disaster, and tentative alliances were being formed. It was, I thought to myself, a start.

I still couldn't understand why Zelda had done what she had done: she'd made the ultimate sacrifice, exchanging my death for hers. Nobody understood, nobody could comprehend: everyone was in shock, walking around with vacant eyes and empty hearts. Damleda's face was red and puffy from constant tears, and Esten was remarkably silent. And then there was me- I would never be the same.

I remember feeling her within me, all around me, hearing her telling me she loved me as she pulled me back from death with her magic; I remember opening my eyes to see her fall. The cry of the king, the wail of Damleda as she rushed forward to Zelda's body, the gasps of shock and the tears, everywhere, the tears. But no sooner had Damleda touched Zelda than she had vanished, disappearing in a sudden burst of light, almost like she'd never existed at all.

But she had existed, and her existance touched the land, still.

A month after she'd vanished into thin air, rumors began to circulate, sightings of her in crowded places. She even gave a little boy a note to deliver to the palace, to me- and the note had been in her hand, alright. All the Hylians had been confused, uncertain. Was their princess dead? Had she not vanished? Was she a thing inhuman, a sage, maybe even a child of the goddesses? Nobody was certain, but hope had begun to spread in the strange way that hope did.

As though it were too much for the King, however, his condition had suddenly declined, and within a week he had passed. The country was in a state of mourning and anarchy- he had named me as the heir to the throne, if Zelda did not return to claim it, but in the meantime, the councelors had been running the country together in a tentative diplomacy. The King had been buried in a grand ceremony that most of Hyrule attended, packing into the large graveyard in Kakariko village. That had been nearly a month ago, but the pain had not abated.

Zelda was rumored to be alive, but the king was gone and the country had no leader.

I turned to leave, heart heavy as I set out of the graveyard, out of the village. _You're so stupid, Zelda, _I scolded her in my mind, walking through the village, hot, autum air gusting through and tugging at my clothes._ Now we're all lost without you._

After nearly half an hour of sad contemplation, I walked down the steps of the village, turning around to look behind me one last time at the quiet town. It was so sad and so unfair, I thought to myself. I should have died instead.

I stepped off the last stair, turning to where I'd tethered Epona below a tree. She was gone- obviously untied, and, judging from the tracks, led away without a fight. I cursed to myself, kicking the tree trunk. Great. This was the last thing I needed.

"Are you bent on my destruction?" I yelled to the early autumn sky. "If you wanted me dead, couldn't you have saved Zelda?"

"They don't want you dead," a familiar voice called from within the branches of the tree, high above. "Quite the opposite, in fact."

I gasped, looking up. A figure in deep blue leathers looked down at me, a smile on her face. Her hair, longer than ever, had been pulled back to a rough braid down her back, and her eyes... were joyous and sad at the same time, and different from what they'd been before. They weren't carefree, like the Zelda I'd first met, or cold and empty, like the Zelda that I had rescued, or desperate, like the Zelda who had sacrificed herself for me. They were something else- deeper, wiser. Inhuman.

"You died," I stated stupidly. "Didn't you?"

"I did," she stated simply, hopping down suddenly from the tree. She was fast- faster than Ganondorf had been. But she was smaller now too, somehow. And her body looked different. Stronger. "The goddesses greeted me at the gate to the realms."

"Why?" I asked, mind flatly refusing to believe what I was seeing and hearing. I was crazy. Zelda was dead.

"They allowed me to live, but only on certain conditions." She looked sad as she said this, eyes turning inward to some memory of holy divinity. "First, that I would rule and protect Hyrule, at any cost. Second, that I would watch over you- the goddesses seem to have something planned. Third, that I would guard the holy secrets that they imparted to me, and pass them down through the royal family- again, their plans. And, fourth, that I would retrieve a certain artifact that would also be passed down the royal line, along with the information they gave me. They impressed the importance of the getting artifact on me, and said that it was the first thing I needed to do. That's where I've been," she added. "Finding the artifact."

"What was it?" I asked, curiosity overtaking the insanity that seemed to be pulsating all around me. Zelda reached into her pack and pulled out something wrapped in a thick, crude cloth.

"This," she responded as she unwrapped it. "It's called the Ocarina of Time."

Upon first inspection, it didn't seem so unique. In fact, my eyes glided straight over the Ocarina, as though it were boring, unimportant. I recognized the magic on it and forced myself to look, to take it in, and then I understood why the goddesses might want Zelda to retrieve it.

Upon direct inspection, it seemed to glow, appearing almost like water cast cast into the form of the little flute. It was astoundingly simple, however- the only decoration was a simple golden band around the mouthpiece adorned with the Triforce. Even still, it was the most etheral and fascinating thing I'd ever seen.

"How did you find it?" I asked quietly.

"Lots of looking," Zelda replied. "It was stolen from the goddesses by a mortal man a long time ago- an ancestor of Ganondorf, who greedily consumed its power. He hid the ocarina with magic, so that when the goddesses came after him, they could not find it. Now that he is long dead and the magic had dispelled slightly, they sent me to look for it."

"Couldn't they have gone themselves?" I asked, eyes returning to Zelda's face as she wrapped the ocarina back up.

"Yes, but they wanted me to, instead," she replied. "Nayru told me that the goddesses test the ones they love. You withstood your tests, and I had to withstand mine. This was one of them."

I wanted to know what she'd seen, what she'd done, what she'd been through since those fateful events so long ago. But, I realized, there were more important things at hand.

"Your father passed away," I said to her quietly. "Not long ago, actually. A month."

"I know," Zelda responded softly. "I saw him pass. Another of the goddesses' tests. I'm not sad, though," she added, smiling at me in a way that betrayed her words. "He has been so lonely since mother died. Now he gets to join her."

"What is it like in the realms?" I asked Zelda, suddenly aware of all the things separating us, all the things between us that would keep our love from ever being the same.

"I'm not allowed to tell you," she replied, grinning and touching my cheek. "You've been there, though. You were dead once, too."

I shook my head, confused. "That sounds so weird," I snickered, causing Zelda to laugh. She reached down and took my hand with one of her bound ones, smiling up at me.

"I heard of my father's decree," she said quietly. "That you were to assume the throne if I did not return. But I have... and yet, I cannot govern. Not on my own.

"I know that I left you," she continued, "and I know that I have changed into an entirely new person, but law says that I can't be queen without a king beside me. So, Link, won't you please stand beside me? Marry me, like you promised me you would so long ago?"

"Of course," I replied without hesitation, bringing her fingers to my mouth and kissing each calloused tip in turn. Her eyes burned into mine, and then suddenly she was in my arms, clinging tight to me and resting her head against my chest. She had, somehow, gotten smaller, just as I suspected.

"Oh, Link," she gushed. "I missed you so much... every day and night I thought about you and how much I missed you, praying that you wouldn't forget about me..."

"I know," I replied quietly. "But... it's so strange. I'm having difficulty beliving it's you."

"I understand." She pulled away, still smiling at me. "And I really don't have any way to prove to you that it really is me. Please, though, trust me."

"I will try," I responded, touching the soft skin of her hand. Nothing wrong there. No magic, nothing strange. Just Zelda's hand, calloused, but still there, down to the strange bend in her pinky from when she broke it falling down into the ravine so long ago.

"Zelda," I asked suddenly, looking down at her. "Why are you shorter?"

"I spent too long in a wood called the "Kokiri Forest", to the southwest, a ways away from the Southern Wood. It's supposed to morph the adults who get lost there into lost spirits, and the children who live there are young forever."

"But you're here," I stated, measuring her head against my chest. Definitely shorter.

"I had the protection of the goddesses. It just wound up making me a little shorter and a little younger."

"How much?" I asked, eyeing her form.

"Only about a year," she replied simply. "Not that I'm complaining."

"How are you going to convince the people to give you the throne?" I asked quietly. "And, on another subject, where's my horse?"

"The goddesses will help me," she replied, whistling through her fingers. Epona galloped up, seemingly from nowhere, and I hopped up, Zelda lithely following, wrapping her arms around my stomach as we rode off to the palace.

I thought my heart might burst from joy.

&-

We knelt together before the altar, both draped in robes of gold, the traditional color of weddings. Blinding red, blue, and green streamers and banners hung from the high ceiling, the emblems of the goddesses. Everywhere there were candles- the colored candles of the goddesses for good luck, gold candles for happiness, fertility, and prosperity, and, scattered in amongst all these candles, a white candle in remembrance of the king.

I shot a glance at Zelda from the corner of my eye. She was truly dazzling in a fitted gown that shone like the sun, her hair coiled up and decorated with strands of white pearls, for her father, and a single flower she told me she'd picked up on her quest, an ever-blooming, white forget-me-not.

_"It means true and everlasting love," she'd told me the night she returned, twirling it by its stem and then offering it to me. I'd put my hand around hers, smiling._

_"Wear it at our wedding."_

She wasn't listening to the preacher with rapt attention as most brides did, but then again, Zelda had never been particularly rapt when she had something better to think about or do. And there was, apparently, something on her mind as she looked at the altar before us, which was typically barren save for three holy relics only brought out for large weddings: Din's dagger, Nayru's cup, and Farore's bangle. Zelda wasn't looking at the relics, however, but at the three niches they sat in. Inwardly, I shook my head- it was just another one of those Goddesses things, I was sure. It had amused me when we'd first walked into the temple and she'd immediately looked around, her eyes darting about as she located all the exits and hiding places. Truly, her adventures had changed her.

I wasn't particularly worried, and was more fixated with the many flowers around the altar, the many bursts of color. There were many buds I didn't recognize, and many buds I did, but their meanings were unknown to me- I would have to ask Zelda.

Oh, yes, and then there was the priest.

"...to be bound together for eternity, to serve the goddesses in any way the golden three might desire..."

Zelda's eyes snapped over to the preist, her brow furrowing. Then she seemed to remember where she was and was suddenly all the devout, happy bride, all ears and rapture.

"...to be humble and faithful, kind and gentle, and loving. To rule together over the grand and holy land of Hyrule in matrimony, to produce heirs to secure the future of the country, to demonstrate and lead the people of Hyrule in the devout practices of the temple: these are that which the goddesses decree." The priest indicated for us to rise. Together, we stood, joining hands as we did so, as dictated by centuries of ceremony. The priest picked up a golden bowl of holy water from behind the altar, holding it before him in his two hands and bidding us turn to face one another. It was the exchange of vows- the wedding was nearly over.

"Know thee," Zelda began, dipping her finger into the holy water, "that all the love and devotion within my soul now is thine, that eternal devotion shall bind me to thou, forever." As she traced the holy triangle on my forehead, she whispered under her breath, "I am yours, through and through."

I smiled, squeezing her hand, and dipping my own large fingers into the water.

"Know thee," I stated gently and clearly, "that all the love and devotion within my soul is now thine, that eternal devotion shall bind me to thou, forever." Lovingly, I traced the triangle on her bow. "And I, yours," I breathed. She smiled at me in a way that made my heart fill wih joy- her eyes sparkled with tears of happiness, and, deep within, sadness at the loss of her father. I knew that she would have liked him to be here. I would have, too...

"Then let this union be holy and blessed by the divine three," the preacher proclaimed, still holding the bowl. "May they lend you guidance and the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. For the good and the bad, the night and the day, for now and forever you are bound. May you bask in the holiness of the divine three for all eternity," he concluded. "This marriage is bound and sanctified by witnesses, by the temple, and by the goddesses. Do all here agree?" he directed to the many people sitting in the pews and, further back, standing. The many people in the church began to cheer, and both Zelda and I beamed.

The priest raised the bowl of holy water to the sky, proclaiming joyfully, "I pronounce thee wed." Golden confetti began to fall from the high arched ceiling, and as it did so, Zelda laughed with delight. The many people in the temple, the priest included, looked up in awe.

"A gift from the goddesses," she laughed to me over the amazed hubbub, turning in a delighted circle. I smiled, happy as well. Her giddiness was infectuous. Laughing, I picked her up, spinning her in a circle, and then kissing her on the lips once as I set her down.

"Ready to be coronated?" she asked, grabbing my hand.

"You bet," I replied, and together, we led the procession of amazed wedding-goers outside.

&-

Those who hadn't been able to fit inside the temple had stood outside during the ceremony, and they parted as we walked through their numbers, holding hands and smiling. We stopped just before the fountain in front of the temple, where there was an almost perfectly circular clearing. Two templemen stood before the fountain, and were quickly joined by a third, the priest from our wedding. Before the templemen was a mat, violet, the color of the royal family. Getting control of ourselves, Zelda and I solemnly knelt again, side by side, and the thought wandered across my mind that before the day was over, I would have large bruises on my knees from so much kneeling. Luckily, though, the coronation would not take long. I did have to admit, though, that it was difficult to keep a straight face when I looked at Zelda out of the corner of my eye- she was absolutely covered in golden confetti.

The priest took the crown of the king- my crown- from the man who stood in the middle, and set the bowl of holy water at his feet. He was old, but not ancient, with white hair and a kind face. His eyes were brown and his robes looked like light. Zelda bowed her head to him, and he smiled.

"Princess," he began, and the whole area went quiet at the sound of his booming voice. "Do you accept the duty that the goddesses have pressed upon you, to be a mother and a queen to Hyrule, to protect and to guide Their children, to uphold the name of the Goddesses and the laws that they have allocated?"

"I do," Zelda replied solemnly.

"Do you solemnly vow to accept all who have seen Their light into your lands, regardless of race or nation or past, to protect Their children from harm, both from within and without of this Most Holy land of Hyrule?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to lead your people by example, to work and live in harmony with your King and Husband, to bear his Heirs to that the legacy of Hyrule might be carried on?"

"I do."

"Then I pronounce and anoint you Zelda Aieleua Godlieva de Hyrule, Hyrulian Queen."

The heavy golden crown was sprinkled with holy water, then set upon Zelda's head. She closed her eyes, breathing in deep, then opened them and smiled.

"Thank you, Raru," she told him quietly. He nodded, also smiling, and pressed his hand gently to her face, tracing the holy triangle on her forehead.

"Anything for you, my child. In the name of the Goddesses, I decree you queen."

He stepped back, and then turned to look at me.

"Sir Link, noble knight of Hyrule," Raru said, turning to face me. "Though you are not of noble birth, you have become of noble rank. Do you accept the duty that the goddesses have pressed upon you, to be a father and a king to Hyrule, to protect and to guide Their children, to uphold the name of the Goddesses and the laws that they have allocated?"

"I do," I replied, inwardly shaking my head at the unnecessary repition that often came with ceremony.

"Do you solemnly vow to accept all who have seen Their light into your lands, regardless of race or nation or past, to protect Their children from harm, both from within and without of this Most Holy land of Hyrule?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to lead your people by example, to work and live in harmony with your Queen and Wife, to protect and raise your Heirs so that the legacy of Hyrule might be carried on?"

Heirs- our children. Just the thought filled me with inexplicable joy: Zelda's and my children. "I do."

"Then I pronounce and anoint you Link Regnus Aelfdec de Hyrule, Hyrulian King."

The cold, heavy golden crown was set upon my head, and as it did I felt no remorse that I was now in a difficult position, would be forever bound to a life of dignitaries and stress, never to be carefree again. It would be worth it, I knew- it was for Zelda, for me to be wih Zelda, forever.

As Raru traced the holy triangle on my forehead, murmuring "In the name of the Goddesses, I decree you King," I couldn't help but think that my old life was over now- no more simplicity, no more "following orders", no more leisure. I'd exchanged my organized, predictable life for something more drastic, more important, more unchangable...

Looking at Zelda, I didn't regret a thing.

&-

After the coronation was a party, which lasted long into the night. Finally, when Zelda began to nod off against my shoulder, we excused ourselves- to many a racuous hoot and quie a bit of cheering. Zelda snickered and I shook my head, and off we went to our chambers.

Our room was large and airy, our belongings already unpacked, just barely mingled together. Zelda opened up a large chest of drawers and made a face.

"I wish they wouldn't unpack everything for us. I don't know where everything is."

"Relax," I told her, sitting on the edge of the large four-poster bed and pulling off my boots. "You'll figure it out in no time. This is a nice mattress," I added, bouncing up and down a little. "Feather?"

"Yeah," Zelda replied, attention focused entirely on the chest-of-drawers.

"Don't worry, Zelda. You don't need to-"

A sudden knock at the door made both of us jump.

"Put your clothes back on, Link, because I don't want to see it," Damleda shouted through.

"How do you know it's not Zelda who's naked?"

"Because there's no way in hell she's getting out of that dress or that corset without someone experienced helping her. You, sir, are not experienced. Why do you think I'm here?"

"Damleda, you're too kind," Zelda stated, opening the door for our pretty friend.

"I only came because I'd hate to see such a good dress ruined," Damleda sniffed, and then looked at the chest of drawers. "What, can't find your robe?"

"Unfortunately not," Zelda replied sullenly. Damleda sighed, then shook her head.

"Alright, come on. Behind the screen, then... Link, could you dig through that chest of drawers and look for a robe?"

"What, this robe?" I asked, picking up the soft, squishy piece of cloth I'd been sitting on. "I thought it was a blanket."

"No, stupid," Damleda replied, taking the robe and ushering Zelda behind the screen. "And don't you two start being newlyweds until you've given me ample time to get down the hallway.

"Again, you are too kind," came Zelda's droll reply. "But thank you, though. I don't think I could get all these buttons and laces undone myself, and Link would ruin it."

"The thing about these ridiculous laces," Damlea grunted, "is that they're very-" she grunted again "-stubborn. Ah, goddesses curse fashion and stupid restrictive undergarments. Can you breathe now?"

"Yes, thank you," Zelda exhaled gratefully. "That's so much better."

"Try learning to get yourself in and out of one of these things alone. Whew!"

"What's going on?" I asked, curious.

"Torture devices, that's what," Damleda replied. "Goodness, look at those welts."

"They'll go away," Zelda responded cheerfully. "They always do."

"Those have to hurt, though."

"Wait, don't touch them! That makes it worse."

"I know, I know. Sorry."

"Welts?" I asked, trying to bend my mind around the bizarre conversation happening on the other side of the screen.

"I don't suppose you've ever pulled your belt too tight and had red marks in your skin?" Damleda asked.

"Ah."

"What I don't understand is why we're submitted to fasion," Zelda chimed. "Corsets really don't do very much for those of us who are smaller, like you and I, and then the larger women who wear them are just frightening."

"I agree completely," Damleda replied. "Maybe now that you're queen, you can outlaw them."

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Alright, you're done," Damleda said, stepping back out from behind the screen. Her fingers were red, and the idly rubbed the tips. "Feel better?"

"Much," Zelda replied, stepping out as well and pulling the white robe tighter around her. "I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to undo my hair?"

"I'll take the pearls out, but Prince Charming here can deal with the pins. I'm too tired, and Esten is waiting for me."

"Fair enough," Zelda concurred, sitting down at a small dressing table and tenderly removing the white forget-me-not from her hair. "Link, would you put this somewhere safe for me? It doesn't need water."

"Sure," I replied, standing up and meandering over, taking the flower from her and looking around. I spotted a small pictograph on one of the nice tables next to the bed and stopped in front of it. It was Zelda and myself at the ball, a long time ago.

"Who took this?" I asked, picking it up and looking at it. Pictographs were rare, and those who had pictograph cameras didn't usually flaunt it.

"One of the Goron Lords, believe it or not. He's known for having a strange obsession with pictographs... like a hobby. He gave it to me just after the army marched... what was it, two, three months ago?"

"Three," I told her, putting down the pictograph and the flower, and then peeling off my slightly uncomfortable shirt- the same, golden one I'd worn at the wedding. Underneath, I wore a simple white top that had acted as insulation against the coming chill of autumn, but had been uncomfortably warm in the party.

"There," Damleda said, setting down the last string of pearls and a few pins. "Done. No need to thank me- and I got out the worst pins, too, so you shouldn't have any problem getting your hair the rest of the way down. Good night, you two," she added, heading for the door. "I won't bother setting places for you at the table tomorrow."

We'd been routinely joining Esten and Damleda for breakfast ever since Zelda returned- almost as though we were one big happy family.

"Good night," Zelda and I bid Damleda in unison, and, smiling, she left the room, shutting the door behind her. I strode over, locked the door, and returned to Zelda, who was combing her hands through her hair, trying to get out all the pins.

"Here," I offered, gently trailing my fingers through her locks. "Let me help."

She closed her eyes, relaxing and leaning back against me as I carefully removed all the pins I could find, running my hands through her hair. "That feels nice," she complimented me. I rested my hands on her shoulders, looking down at her and grinning.

"That wasn't a command to stop," she grumbled, and then looked at me in the mirror. "What are you smiling about?"

"Six months ago, we were out at the hunting lodge," I told her. She quirked a brow, her face blank.

"And?"

"You cast a spell on the door to make it... noisy." I grinned even wider, and then swooped her up in my arms. "You're not going to have to do that tonight."

"No," she agreed. "I'll have to cast a spell to keep it silent so we can have some privacy. I'm sure there are people who will walk by and put their ears against the wood."

I laughed at this, turning a little red. She smiled, patting my cheek. "Oh, dear Link," she sighed. "What ever shall I do with you?"

"Be mine," I stated, setting her gently down on the bed. "Forever."

"That, I think I can do," she replied with a grin, pulling me down to her for a passionate kiss. She waved her free hand and the candles went out, leaving us alone in the dark, together. As we two became one, I could not help but think that the struggles, the heartbreak, the trials we had faced and the time that we were apart had fed the fires of our love, and that every last trial had been worth it.

It has been many years since then, and I have had the pleasure of growing old with Zelda. Our first child, a boy, was born a little less than a year after our wedding. Not long after, Esten and Damleda had a second child, a daughter. Within three years, Zelda and I had born two more children, another son who had his mother's propensity for magic, and our daughter, Wynne, a little witch who grew to be the subject of many young men's devotions at court when she was older, despite her boyish attitude. She joined the army, however, becoming the first woman knight, and fighting with both blade and spell alongside Rowan, who also became an esteemed warrior, for many years. Neither she nor Rowan never married, choosing instead companionship in one another and love in the art of war.

Our second son, Maddox, was tutored in the ways of magic by his mother from a very young age, and later studied magical arts abroad. While on his travels, he fell in love with an Arucan peasant girl and wed her, then returned to Hyrule to take up an esteemed position in the Temple. He became the first true mage of Hyrule, his children eagerly taking up his ways to preserve the extensive knowledge of magic collected across generations. Lastly, our eldest child, Aiden, grew up to become king, taking Esten and Damleda's daughter Fiona as his wife, together having several children. Watching our children and grandchildren grow has been the greatest delight for Zelda and myself, and though many years have passed since the first flames of passion were kindled within us, the love has never since dimmed. The tale of our romance has become one of legend, sung by bards in courts all across the world and told to children as bedtime stories. The moral of our story is simple and true: trust in love and take your fate into your own hands, because if you do, _anything_ is possible.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end! Sorry it took so long- I've been remarkably busy, and in between being busy and being asleep I've been consumed by apathy. So this is it, all of One Hundred Days, hopefully with an ending satisfying enough for everyone. Hooray! More stories may be coming... eventually... but for now, I'm making no promises. Not at least until April, when I (might) start having free time again. For those of you who are anxiously waiting for Ordinary Story's update, relax, sit back, maybe read a magazine or go get some ice cream or something because it'll be a while yet before I've finished working on it. For those of you who are completely dissatisfied with this story, with OS, hate me, and are considering/planning on reviewing solely to flame me and let me know how horrible I am and how my writing sucks and how you're pissed off because I didn't end MY story the way YOU wanted it to end... well, you can just go to hell. D And I mean that literally. 

Now that I've got THAT out of the way, I feel like there's something more that I need to tell you guys that I'm forgetting. Oh, yeah. If there's anyone willing to devote the time and patience enough to read, edit, CRITIQUE and act like a general idea sounding board, give me a holler. I'd appreciate it tons, though I promise nothing yet. Hell, even if you're not interested/don't have the time/are only going to tell me how incredibly fabulous (hah) my work is, give me a holler. I'd be glad to hear from you, though I can't promise that I'll be replying to much email for a while- the times when I am at home and within reach of a comptuer are inconsistent at best and more often than not are nonexistant. So that's that.

If anyone has any ideas for oneshots/challenges, send 'em over. Am I missing anything? No? In that case, I'll shut up.

Thanks for your loyalty and extended patience. It really means a lot to me. See you next story!


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